Hidden Gem
by SSJ-Pan-chan
Summary: Mirai Timeline. Upon Gohan's death, he took a big secret with him into the otherworld. The secret lost for years, is revealed when a teenage girl emerges from a sheltered life and into the outside world, with hope to find out who she really is. MT/P
1. Chapter 1

After reading a couple constructive criticism reviews, I decided to rewrite this chapter to clear up some possible confusion over time frame and event information that I overlooked in the beginning. I must thank you, lazybum131 and Mappadouji, for pointing it out in your reviews.

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In-depth summary: This story is based in Mirai timeline. Pan just over 15 years old and have lived her whole life on a farm far away from danger. She never knew her parents, but has been in the care of a middle-aged couple. Her existence kept a complete secret by her father, in hope of her living peacefully, free of bloodshed. Now with many questions of whom she is, she ventures out to find someone who can fill her in on everything.

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I'm only saying this once.

Disclaimer: I do not and never will own Dragonball/Z. ©Akira Toriyama.

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Chapter 1

Out in the middle of nowhere was a small farm. The farm served as a home to a middle-aged couple and a teenage girl, where they could live fairly peaceful and simple lives; safe from any real potential danger.

A girl, wearing fitted jeans and a cream-colored tank top, stood under a peach tree. She had eyes dark as the night sky, and jet-black hair fell to the small of her back.

She spotted a few ripe peaches within her reach as she gathered them and placed them in a small bucket at her feet. When she believed there were enough, she leaned over, picking the bucket up and heading back into the house.

As she walked in, she headed towards the kitchen. "I have the peaches you wanted, Taba."

A lady, in her fifty's, turned and smiled at the girl. "Thank you. You're such a sweetheart, like your mother."

She placed the bucket down on the counter and glanced down when hearing the word _mother_. She didn't know much of anything about her biological parents, her caregivers never really told her what happened to them. For all she could know, was they could have just abandoned her here as an infant, but that was most unlikely.

"What was my mother like..?" It was a question she constantly thought about and the last time she asked; she was only a child.

Tabatha stopped what she was doing and looked at her. "She was smart, kind, and very helpful. When we found her, she was an emotional wreck. The poor girl went through a lot."

"Like what?" She questioned curiously.

"I think it's time to tell you what we know… Let's have a seat, Pan." Tabatha walked over to the table and took a seat as Pan did.

At the moment, Tabatha's husband walked in through the back door. He noticed the two females sitting at the table. "What's going on, Dear?"

Tabatha looked up at him. "You have good timing. It's time to tell her, Stef."

"I see…" He walked over, pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Can one of you start from the beginning..?" Pan asked. If this was the only time she would be told the truth, she wants to hear all about it.

Stef nodded. "It was a roughly sixteen years ago. I was up at the break of dawn, about to begin my morning routine. The animals were acting a bit unusual as if someone strange was on the property. I looked around and noticed a teen girl unconscious in the mud near the vegetable garden. She was covered in scratches, and her clothes were tattered. There's no say on how long she was out there. I quickly carried her inside for both of us to tend to her…"

"It took a while to clean her up and get her into some clean clothes. It wasn't for several hours later, when she started coming to. The look upon her face was horrifying, as if waking from some sort of nightmare. After reassuring her, she managed to calm down enough to explain how she managed to reach the farm. Your father told her to run as far away from the city they were in, for her safety, and that he will eventually find her as he stayed behind. She did not explain the reasoning of him staying behind." Tabatha glanced at Pan for a moment before glancing down to her hands.

"After hearing her story, we decided to allow her to stay here. When she started feeling better, she had begun to show her gratitude for our hospitality, by helping out around the farm. A few weeks later, we had a visitor who came looking for her to see if she was all right. He looked about the same age, so we figured it was the boy she talked about."

Tabatha looked to her husband. "He didn't look too much like a boy, not with the godlike body he had. He was tall, with jet back hair and eyes…"

Pan looked between the married couple as she brought her hand to the back of her head sheepishly and lightly laughed.

"Oh, stop the day dreaming, Taba."

She ignored her husband's comment as she giggled like a school girl, before glancing back at the girl. "He used to do exactly what you're doing now."

"Any ways, your mother was very excited to see him as her tears flowed freely. The sight of them being together, made us even begin to get a little teary. Young love is a wonderful thing and they sure had it, despite all the fear and terror the world has been consumed by, due to the androids."

"It wasn't long after that, that your mother was starting to feel sick. She wasn't sure why, but I knew when she told me the symptoms she was having. It shocked her greatly when I told her she was pregnant. The following time, your father appeared, she told him. The look on his face was as if he was just pushed backwards and falling off a cliff. As it was, he had enough on his plate, but now he had to figure out what to do with regards to your mother and you." Tabatha said as she begins to fidget slightly.

"For the following months, your mother continued helping me out; until she was far enough along with you to where she couldn't do much more. Whatever your father was doing, kept him away for a majority of her term, except for a few visits here and there."

"So my father didn't feel we were very important?" She questioned.

"No, you two were very important to him. The reason he gave was that he didn't want to risk your lives by being here very often. So he visited when it was safe for him to do so." Tabatha stated.

She raised a brow curiously. "Something tells me, you know something important about him. How was it so easy for him to come and go, especially in the middle of nowhere? And what sort of danger could he possibly be involved with?"

Both glanced at her as they felt like being backed up into a corner. "We will get to that soon enough, Pan."

"When your mother went into labor, she was doing her best to hold on for him to get here. She knew he would make it. Not long after, he arrived and ran into the room. She was happy to see he made it. Within no time, you were on your way into the world… but then, your mother started having serious complications…" Tabatha started to feel her throat close up in a choking manner.

Pan noticed this and she glanced down, thinking of the worst. "She… she died… giving birth to… me, huh..?" She couldn't help but to feel a heavy weight pulling on her heart.

"Your father was scared, afraid of losing her… but with no medical attention, her changes of surviving were very slim… No way of getting her to a hospital… worst part… all the hospitals were practically destroyed by the androids. After your birth, she managed to hang on to a few more hours of life. Just long enough to see you, hold you, talk to you, feed you, and both of them to agree on a name."

She tilted her head down, biting on her bottom lip as she was fighting to hold back her tears. It was overwhelming her; she never really thought it happened that way.

"Your father refused to leave her side…and when she was gone…he picked you up, holding you as tight as he could without crushing you… It surely was the hardest thing for us to see. That night, I believe… he actually cried...himself to sleep." Tabatha constantly wiped her tears.

"He awakened to the sound of your cries. Uncertain of what to do, he handed you to Taba to take care of you. He looked to be in thought until he asked for a sheet of paper to write on…" Stef got up from his seat and walked over to the wall clock. Removing the clock from its spot, reveled an envelope.

Pan watched and her eyes widened slightly. Could that really be something left for her? "I-is that for-"

He nodded. He retrieved it from its spot and walked back to the table. "He had written a letter for you. He told us to give it to you when you're old enough, if he didn't manage to come back to you. He truly had hard choices to make, and the ultimate choice was to give you up so you can be safe."

"H-he…" Pan couldn't find the words she needed.

"Here, read it. I'm sure there are some things in there you should know." He handed the envelope to the young girl.

She glanced down, looking at what was written on the envelope: _"My Dear Pan"_ She choked. She has begun to waver inside, debating if she should open it or not.

"Go on, open it, Pan. If he didn't want you to read it, he wouldn't have written it."

Hesitantly, she turned the envelope over and opened it. Slowly pulling out the paper, she unfolded it and begun to read it.

_My Dear Pan,_

_You probably have a lot of questions about my absence, and I hope you do not hate me for it. I once was among the group of the strongest fighters on Earth, regardless of my young age. However, when I was nine, the Androids begun their reign of terror. One by one, my friends were killed, and I was the last to survive; barely managing to escape._

_Since that day, it has been my responsibility to fight and destroy the Androids; in order to bring peace back to Earth. There isn't a single day that has passed, in which the pain and memories did not haunt me. _

_When your mother told me that she was pregnant, I could feel a whole new weight of responsibility being dumped on me. Don't get me wrong, I was very happy, but it was very overwhelming. I already knew the risks I've been taking just to see your mom, while the Androids are still alive._

_When you were born, your mother wasn't capable of surviving long after… I felt that misfortune was still following me, and that it was my fault, she wasn't able to survive. I regret not having a special bean on me to save her… Now, with you in this nightmarish world; I had a very difficult choice to make regarding the best way for you to be raised. _

_The first option that came to mind, was to have your grandmother Chi-Chi help raise you while I would be away. Now, it seemed like the best idea since home is secluded near Mount Paozu, I would be able to be involved in your life... However, as I thought about it, I could only imagine how she would react to the knowledge of her son having a child at such a young age. She would freak out, questioning herself where she has gone wrong to cause her sole son to become a delinquent. I knew for a fact that it wouldn't be a pleasant sight._

_My second option, was to ask Bulma if she wouldn't mind taking care of you. She has been a family friend for a long time. However, I needed to consider that she already had her hands full taking care of her seven-year-old son, Trunks. The only real thing that made me change my mind about asking her, was the fact that she's living dangerously within West City._

_What I thought would be best and wanted for you, was to be safe and have a peaceful life, rather than to live in fear. So I finally decided to ask Mr. Stef and Mrs. Tabatha to take you in. I knew for a fact that you would be safe here and well taken care of. Over the months of your mother being in their care, I managed to get quite acquainted with them. They didn't have any objections to my request, since they were aware of the major responsibility I already have to carry. I have mentioned to them, that I will return for you, once I have destroyed the Androids, and that is if I survive..._

_Before I decided it was best for me to go, I took the time to write this letter for you, so someday you can understand why I'm not there for you. I hope you are well and remain that way. You are special, Pan. I'm sure that you have noticed in some sort of way. If you need answers of your heritage, seek out Bulma Briefs. If the Androids are still alive, I want you to be very careful. I love you and will miss you a lot._

_Your Father, Gohan Son_

Upon reaching the end of the letter, she couldn't help to hold back her tears. Everything written was overwhelming and difficult for her to believe that he was a fighter, striving to bring peace. His reasons made sense, but at the same time, it hurt her deeply that he chose to give her up. "Thank you…for giving this to me."

"You see…he had all the right reasons for his actions…and with you, gave him something more to fight for." Tabatha calmly said.

She glanced up, feeling somewhat proud that her father was such a brave and noble man. "Yeah…"

"Now that you have that information, are you satisfied with it?" Stef asked, just to see her shake her head.

"No, there's much more I need to know."

"Well, at least one of the questions you asked us, must have been answered in his letter."

"Yes it was, now going back to the other question, how was it that my father could come and go so quickly?"

"We were outside one day and noticed something in the air, coming from the south. It wasn't a bird and there haven't been planes for years. As the figure approached, we noticed it was him. We couldn't believe it." Tabatha explained as she rose from her seat to return to do what she started.

Pan looked dumbfounded for a moment before shaking it off. "No way…that's awesome!"

Stef chuckled as he walked over to the nearest window and glanced out. "It's definitely one way to get around."

She glanced back down at the letter, slowly looking for something she could question. "Androids… Are they still out there?" She whispered, but received the attention of Stef.

"Pan, even though you have just received all this information, a bit is obsolete…" He could tell that she was looking at him.

"What part would it be..?"

He turned to face her, but he could not look her in the eye. "A little over three years ago, there was a radio broadcast, stating the Androids had disappeared... For days after hearing that, I kept an eye out for him..."

A sudden feeling of melancholy washed over her and her hopes gone. She could feel moisture begin to swell in her eyes before trickling down her cheeks. She felt like rushing outside and running as far as she could, but that wouldn't take the pain away.

"We're very sorry it happened this way, Pan..." Tabatha said.

"You may have never had the chance to know him, but no matter what he is always with you in spirit. I'm sure that there is someone else out there, who may know more than we do."

Pan lowered her head onto the table as she bit down on her bottom lip. Her thoughts cursed at everything, but then her mind echoed the words 'someone else out there' she snapped back up, glancing at the paper in her hand once again. "There is…hopefully there is…" With her free hand, she wipes away her tears.

They glanced to the girl, wondering what else could have been mentioned. Just as one of them were about to say something, Pan beat them both to it.

"I have a Grandmother near Mount Paozu and-"

"Mount Paozu is quite the distance from here…" Stef pointed out.

"Well maybe so, but my father also mentioned a Bulma Briefs as a long-time family friend."

"That name sounds very familiar… Taba, do you remember the name by any chance?"

"Isn't she the daughter of that scientist, Dr. Briefs, who created the nifty capsules?"

"That must be her then. Who knows if she's still out there… However, there is the possibility that she is."

Pan glanced between them for a moment. Somehow, she was beginning to feel a little better. She scooted her chair back, saying, "If it is all right, I would like to go West City to find her."

"West City isn't nearly as far away as Mount Paozu… We wouldn't have much of an issue to let you go…"

"But as your caregivers, we would like to know the reasoning behind it." Tabatha said.

"Well, to find out about my heritage, there must be something special about it."

"I see. We noticed that there was something very extraordinary about your father from the start, and I'm positive that some of it has been passed on to you."

"You really think so?"

"Yes, actually there has been things you have done, in which you have amazed us." Stef noticed the curious look upon Pan's face and couldn't help but to chuckle. "I have noticed rather often that you're capable of moving square hay bales without breaking a sweat… Those things are not light to begin with. You're also able to outrun the dogs by far without having to gasp for air. One more example, you're capable of jumping a little higher than a normal being."

She rubbed the back of her head a little as she thought about it. "Now that you mention it…it seems a bit odd. I guess I never recognized because I don't really have someone else around my age to compare to."

"Anyway, if you plan on going, it might be wise for you to go gather up some things you might need." Tabatha said, just to receive a smile from the girl.

"Right, I'll go do that now!" Pan stated as she took off for her room.

"It's nice to see her in good spirits." Stef said, turning to his wife. "How about we have a fairly large dinner tonight?"

"That would be a good idea. I'm positive she wouldn't want to put off her little adventure."

"I agree. Well, I'd better go look for a map and compass for her, then get back outside to finish my chores."

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That's all for the chapter. Like I mentioned at the beginning, this chapter has been rewritten to prevent confusion and not to be as vague as it first was. Due to that, Stef's and Tabatha's reaction to Pan's urge to know more about her heritage changed, and besides that, there's additional information than originally in Gohan's letter.

Little additional note for those who do not check Author Profiles: Due to Pan being born when Gohan and Videl were both 15, she is only 7 years younger than Trunks (8 years with ROSAT). Most of the sources I came across mentioned that Trunks was 19(20) when he killed 17 and 18, and about 3 years later when he killed Cell. So with this information, it would make Pan 15 around the time of Cell's death. I hope this makes it a little clearer.

Please leave me a review with a thought or two. Now time to get cracking on the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

All right, I know I started this story back in September and haven't added a new chapter... until now. However, I have my reasons...mostly relating to stress. I've been working lengthy and grueling days to save up for a new motor for my car... And I cannot afford a newer car. So I haven't had much time day by day to sit down a write for a long period of time, but I have only been able to squeeze in like a couple of hours a day and even then, I haven't been capable of making much progress.

Ok, I'll admit that I have also been procrastinating as well… I managed to get my hands on Dragon Ball Online, even though I can't read it. I also picked up an Xbox 360 and DBZ: Ultimate Tenkaichi…

Anyway, enough of that. For those of you who have read chapter one prior to 9/10, I would like to ask you to read it once more; since I have gone back through a rewritten the chapter. A couple of the reviews I received had me thinking about some key points and elements I overlooked when I had first written it. I changed out quite a bit to help make a little more sense and less questionable about the time frame.

All right, besides that, there isn't much more I have to say until the end of the chapter. Happy Reading!

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Chapter 2

As the morning light begun to reach the small farm, the occupants residing within finished their last breakfast together. The couple did not want to believe that the girl they have dedicated so many years into raising, was about to leave them for an adventure of her own. Though the years were challenging for them, they truly cherished the time spent with her.

Near the door, stands a coat rack. The raven-haired girl reaches out for her blue fleece jacket to toss on. With it being so early, she knew it was going to be chilly outside. _'I can't believe I'm going to do this! It's so exciting! However, I do feel a little bad for leaving Taba and Stef...'_ She thought as she zipped her jacket up before leaning over to pick up an old hiking backpack, containing the basic necessities for her trip; and strapped to the top of the bag is a sleeping bag.

"Would you come over here for a moment, Pan? I would like to go over this map with you before taking off." Stef called out from the dinning table.

"All right." She tossed the pack on and latches a strap around her waist before walking to the table.

"Now last night, I took some time to look over this old map... Before all the chaos began, there were a few towns between here and West City, but they were leveled afterward… Though, within the past three years, there has been construction in the cities and towns. So hopefully-" Stef paused for a moment as he turned the map around, and pointed to the circled names. "These towns should have been rebuilt to some degree. I'm not sure if you were planning to make a straight shot or not. However, we would prefer that you to go to the nearest town from here and follow the road."

"Actually…I thought about making the straight shot."

"That would be a bit risky… You would have to find water if you run out, and hunt whatever is out there for food. We were only able to give you a bit of food that would fit in that bag. I doubt it will be enough for the size of your appetite." Stef stated as he watched as Pan sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "If you keep to the road, you will have more of a chance to fill up your canteen and possibly get a bit of food from a town."

Taking a moment to think about what was being said, she nodded. "I guess you have a good point."

"Good, the closest town should be about twenty miles due west. Sure you will be going out of your way, but since you have exceptional stamina and agility, you'll make that up in no time."

"Plus, we wouldn't have to worry about you too much." Tabatha said as she placed the canteen strap over Pan's neck. "I want you to be careful and be aware when you're around others. There are horrible people out there, so if you feel like you're in danger, trust your instincts."

"I understand. I'll be cautious. I promise, Taba."

"Well now, you're all ready to go." Stef scooted his seat back, rising to his feet. He folds the map up a little, passing it and a compass to her. "It's best if you keep those in your pockets for easy access. There is a pocket knife in the left-side pocket of the 'pack if you need to use it."

She slipped the map in her jacket pocket and held onto the compass. "Okay, I'm sure it will come in handy." She leaned over to give Tabatha a going-away hug.

"I'm going to miss having you around." The middle-aged woman said, hugging back, while holding back tears.

Stef walked over and joined in a group hug. "You better take care of yourself, kid."

"I'll miss both of you, and I will." She said, and she was soon released from their embrace. "Thank you for everything, I'll come back before long."

"Anytime. We will be here." The couple said in unison.

Reaching the door, she turned the knob to open it. She turned to look at them for a moment, only to see them gesturing for her to go. Giving them a smile, she turned ahead and steps out onto the porch. Glancing up to the changing sky, she watched as a flock of birds fluttering in the air, chirping a small song.

She pulled the door closed behind her and inhaled. Allowing the fresh air fill her lungs, she prepared herself to make the first real step into her little journey. Upon exhaling, she rushed off into the west, heading for the nearest town.

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Gazing into the wild blue yonder, one piece of knowledge occupies her mind, as she steadily walks along a narrow dirt road. She couldn't help but to recall being told that her father was capable of flight. Building up inside of her, is an urge to learn such an ability.

Feeling the sun's friendly rays beating down, her jacket absorbs its warmth, trapping the heat against her skin. Slowly, the heat begins to make her feel uncomfortable. Removing the bag from her back, she places it at her feet. She quickly unzips her jacket, taking it off, and stuffs it into her bag before swinging it back on.

Glancing into the distance, she could see buildings exceptionally well. _'That must be the town Stef was talking about!'_ Excitedly, she rushes off.

Approaching the town, her legs begin to slow to a leisurely pace. Beneath her feet, she could sense a change in the ground. Allowing her eyes to fall to where she's stepping, only to notice she is no longer walking on a dirt road, but one paved with asphalt. Hearing the sound of a horn honking, catches her attention. She suddenly stops and looks up to see a car stopped only feet in front of her.

The driver leans out his window, waving his arm. "Hey, girl, get out of the road! Can't you see that I'm driving here?" He shouts and hits on his horn a few more times.

Acknowledging that she is indeed in the middle of the road, she walks to the side of the road and apologetically bows. "I'm so sorry, sir."

He could hear the sincerity in her voice, but he did not expect her to bow. Seeing this, made him feel like a jerk. "Word of advice, just stay out of the road if you don't want to get ran over next time." He sits back into his seat and drives off, leaving a cloud of smog behind.

The smog creeps up to her nose, instantly invading the last bit of fresh air. Quickly, she cups her hands over her nose as she begins sneezing and coughing uncontrollably, and moisture begins welling at her eyes. "Not cool…" She mumbles.

Before long, her sneezing and coughing begin to stop. She removes her hands from her face momentarily, only to move them under her eyes to wipe the moisture away with the back of her hands. With a clear line of vision, she turns her attention towards the town, and instantly her eyes grow slightly with surprise and excitement.

Before her, stationed along the street, were half sphere-shaped structures with decent-sized yards. She has seen these types of houses before in old magazines her guardians kept. The joyous songs of the meadowlark and robin she is used to in the countryside, were replaced with the cooing and cawing of pigeons and crows, along with barking of household dogs. The fresh and pure air disappeared completely under the smell of urban pollution.

She shakes her head to snap out of her surprised state. Raising a hand up to the back of her head, she rubs sheepishly. _'I wish I don't get excited easily...but I guess it cannot be helped for now.'_

Beginning to walk once more, she allows her eyes to wander freely in observation of her new surroundings. In front of her, she notices a small group of young children and women walking into town. Surprisingly, with the distance she is from them, she can hear them all talk, laugh and giggle clearly.

"Mamma? How long until we get to the park?" Came a little girl's voice.

"Soon, Sweetie. Just be patient." The brunette-haired woman said.

"Ok! I wanna play on the monkey bars first, Ma-"

"Not if I get to it first!" A boy said, trying to claim it.

"Now, now you two. You both need to share and take turns."

"Awww, but-"

"No buts about it. If you two want to fight over it, we'll just go back home." With that said, her two kids quieted down.

"Kids will be kids. I'm just hoping it will be a while before I'm in your position." The blonde said, as she and her friend laughs lightly as she carries her young toddler.

Pan couldn't help but to smile at what she is overhearing and how they sound so happy and carefree. However, she could feel a strange pain pulling on her heart. She can feel her smile begin to slip as her mind wanders off. _'I feel envious… Those kids are lucky to even have parents… Even though Stef and Tabatha have always been there for me…I feel as if we don't exactly have a parent-child relationship…'_ A sigh escapes from her as her eyes fall to the sidewalk. _'I wish they were here with me… It's just not fair that I had to lose them the way I did…'_

Hearing the sound of vehicles driving by, she snaps out of her thoughts. Looking ahead, she notices that the small group is standing only a few feet in front of her at the corner of the street. Stopping behind them, she glances around the intersection, observing the tall metal poles branching out over the street with bright multi-colored lights gleaming down to the vehicles.

"The light should be changing any moment. So hold my hands, kids." The brunette said.

"Ok, Mamma." Both kids said in unison as they reached to their mother's open hands.

Glancing to her left momentarily, Pan notices the green light changing colors. Before long, a deafening chirp begins to ring through her ears. Wincing at the sound, she covers her ears for a second before noticing the group proceeding to cross the street.

Following their lead, she looks ahead, and acknowledges the flashing signal mid-way on the pole. _'I'm guessing the signal is to cross…but what about that obnoxious chirping sound?' _She inquisitively ponders.

Shortly after reaching the other side of the street, the chirping ceases. Briefly looking back at the intersection, she shakes her head. _'I have more important things to think about rather than annoying sounds here and there. Maybe I should ask for directions…' _

A few minutes later, the sound of laughter catches her attention. Glancing in the direction of the joyous sounds, she notices a large grassy field occupied with children and parents playing and relaxing. Her feet stopping on their own and with excitement building her gaze bounces around, watching the various activities from kicking a ball around to climbing around on the assorted playground equipment.

"The park!" The two siblings shouted with excitement as they begin to drag their mother.

Turning her attention to the kids before her, Pan couldn't resist to giggle at their actions. _'Those two are amusing.'_

"Take it easy, kids. You two don't need to pull me."

"But we wanna play!"

"I know, you two can go off and play; I'll be right behind you." She said, feeling their hands release hers.

"Ok, Mamma!" They said, running off.

"I'll beat you there!"

"No you won't!"

"Be glad you only have one kid right now…" She said, turning to her friend.

"Yes, but it is amusing watching you deal with those two." The blonde laughed.

Redirecting her attention from the kids, Pan glances over to the two mothers. Thinking it would be a good chance to ask for directions to avoid roaming around town aimlessly, she takes in a deep breath and nervously begins to approach them.

Hearing the sound of shuffling footsteps along the sidewalk, the pair of women turn to see a teenage girl approaching. Quickly studying her, they notice the faded clothes she is wearing, and the hiking bag upon her back. Seeing the look on her face, they can tell that she seems a bit nervous and possibly lost.

"Hey, you're not from around here, are you?" Asked the blonde.

Stopping, Pan shakes her head. "No, I'm not."

"I thought so. Your clothes and the bag are a dead give away that you must be coming from somewhere in the countryside."

"Is it that obvious?" Pan asked, only to receive nods from them.

"Anyway, you seem a little lost. Do you need some help?" The brunette asked.

Pan nods. "I'm on my way to West City, but I don't have the slightest clue as to where the main highway is... All I do know is that it runs through town. So I was wondering if one of you can please give me directions? I would really appreciate it."

The two women briefly exchange glances and nods. "Certainly."

"Go to the next light and make a left. Follow the street down a couple of miles, until you come across a construction site. From there, turn right and walk about a block. There will be a lot of shops lining the highway."

Taking a mental note, she nods. "Thank you very much."

"No problem."

"You don't plan on walking all the way to West City, do you?" The blonde asked.

"Actually I do since I don't really have any other way available to me."

"You're crazy to walk over two-hundred miles to get there."

"I assume so, but that will not stop me. I've already covered twenty miles since daybreak."

"That is practically impossible."

"Twenty miles cannot be covered within a couple of hours."

"Maybe, but I did manage to do it." Pan smirked. "Anyway, I need to get going. I have a long walk ahead of me. Thanks again for the directions." She said, sprinting off.

Blinking, the two women felt a sudden gust of wind blow past them. They turn around only to see her figure fading into the distance. "What a strange girl…"

Fifteen minutes later…

Following the given directions, Pan could hear the sound of traffic getting louder, along with incoherent chatter coming from ahead. Her sensitive nose suddenly detects a clash of sweet, savory, and intoxicating scents lingering in the air. The scents being to make her mouth water.

Upon reaching the main highway, she slows her pace and walks towards the south. Glances down the street, she notes the variety of vehicles lining the curb as others drive by. _'Oh wow... That's a lot of cars..._' She raises a hand to the back of her head to rub slightly. Shifting her eyes, she observes the crowding of people along the sidewalk as many enter and exits shops.

A smile spreads across her lips as her eyes wander freely to observe her surroundings. _'I can't believe that there is so much I haven't seen before...and it's hard to think that this is only the beginning!'_ She could feel the excitement building within her.

Suddenly, a strange and nauseating scent hit her nose. _'What in earth is that sickening, sweet scent?' _She wonders as she quickly cups her hands over her nose. Beginning to feel light-headed and dizzy, she glances at the sign of the shop next to her, _'What's a nail salon and why does it stink so bad?' _Looking towards the doorway, she notices that it's open. Even though she has her nose covered, the odor still continues to reach her. Unable to stand the repulsive odor, she rushes off.

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Goose bumps begin to crawl along her skin as the evening chill begins to set in. Folding her arms across her chest, she huddles for warmth. Her hands move briskly across her arms in a futile attempt to rub some heat into them. Her eyes wander about, looking for a place to set up camp for the night, since there was not a town in sight. Spotting a group of trees nestled a couple hundred feet to the right of the road, she figured that it would be a good place to stop.

'_What a long day it has been…I'm completely spent.' _She sighed. She could feel her feet drag along the ground as she makes her way over to the trees.

Upon reaching her temporary resting spot, she removes the backpack from her back and sets it against a tree. Removing the sleeping bag from the top of the backpack, she places it out of the way to make it easier for her to get into the backpack. Reaching inside, she withdraws her fleece jacket and quickly puts it on. She could feel herself begin to warm up just slightly, but knew the chill would be getting worse as the night continues on.

Her eyes fell to the ground, searching for an appropriate spot to build a campfire, the need for its warmth being foremost in her thoughts. Glancing around, she notes a likely spot. Right there laid a broken branch she could use to make a fire pit beneath the sheltering trees. Picking up the piece of wood, she begins to dig into the soft soil.

Setting the branch down, she quickly scurries in the underbrush, gathering enough tinder and deadwood for her fire. Returning to her designated pit, she carefully arranges her gatherings. From her pant pocket, she removes a thin tin casing. Opening the casing reveals flint and steel within.

The chill air permeating her hands, she misstrikes the steel-flint once, twice, thrice. Her fourth attempt, catches a welcoming spark and giving birth to a tiny ember in tinder. With a composed breath, she feeds the ember to catch the twigs, at last, bringing her campfire to life. The warmth of her creation spreads through her, starting with her hands, and finally, they stop trembling.

Pleased with the blazing heat, she moves back to her belongings to search for the food, which Tabatha has packed for her. At the bottom of the bag, she found what she was looking for. Withdrawing the packed jars one by one, she took a moment to examine the contents within. _'Let's see, there're nuts, dehydrated fruits, and lastly, jerky. Definitely not enough food to last very long. However, I didn't think about stopping to have a snack earlier today...'_ Unable to locate anymore, she picks up the jar containing the jerky and pops it open.

She turned to face the campfire and lowered herself to the ground. Leaning back against the trunk of a tree, a small sigh escaped from her. Finally, she could slow down and rest for a little and focus on something other than pushing herself to walk on. Reaching into the jar, she begins removing the thin strips of dehydrated beef one by one as she devours it.

Shifting her weary eyes up at the night sky, through a clearing, a sense of happiness fills her. Star gazing being one of the few hobbies she loves to do. She has always been fascinated by the celestial space ever since she was young. Focusing, it becomes apparent to her that the sky is not nearly as dark as she recalls it to be, as if some enormous source of light was interfering.

_'That's very strange... Could it be coming from West City?'_ She wonders as her eyes glance off to the southwest, where it is illuminating from. _'I wonder what awaits me there...'_ Just as her mind begins to wander off, she could feel her stomach grumble, demanding more subsistence.

Looking down to the empty jar in her hand, she sighs. Glancing over to the other jars, she debates if she should get into them or not. '_I really need to make it stretch, but I'm positive it will be impossible to do so... Why do I have a large appetite anyway?'_

'_Maybe I should just get some sleep, that way I can ignore my hunger…'_ Rising to her feet, she dusts off the debris from her pants. She stretches for a moment then leans over to pick the sleeping bag up from its spot. She removes the binding bands from around the sleeping bag, rolling it out across the ground.

She could feel a small yawn wanting to escape from her, indicating that it is unquestionably time to turn in. Unzipping and folding back the top half of the sleeping bag, she lowers herself onto it. Reaching downwards towards her tired aching feet, she removes her shoes and sets them aside. A feeling of relief washes over her as the constriction around her feet dissipates. Slipping inside the warmth of the thick sleeping bag, she zips it closed, feeling just about every last chill begin leaving her body.

Her dark eyes, gazed into the dancing flames before her. Her thoughts have silenced, for the most part, as she could focus on the crackling sound of the fire and the nature's nightly music. For the first real time, she realizes that she is all by herself out here. She didn't feel fear of being alone, but relatively peaceful.

Slowly, her eye lids begin to feel heavy. Bit by bit, she can feel herself slipping off into slumber.

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Finally, the end of the chapter... This chapter was actually one of the biggest challenges for me to write since it does have a lot more descriptions than I am used to writing. However, I knew it was important to include.

I hope everyone is pleased with how this chapter turned out and I hope I am able to catch the attention of more readers.

Now I know that with this one, Pan has had a good experience for it being the first day on her own. However, I do have plans to shake things up a bit for the next chapter. You'll just have to wait and see. It shouldn't take nearly as long for me to get chapter 3 done.

One last note before I end this… one night I got bored and started playing around with Serif Drawing Plus and came up with a picture of Pan for this fic. I did toss it onto Deviant Art. If you are interested in seeing the picture, my profile name is Aelystel…

Please leave me a review! I would love to know what your thoughts are and I'm open to suggestions!


	3. Chapter 3

Finally, here's the third chapter. I apologize that this chapter has taken much longer than we all would have liked. I have had way too many things happening all at once. To sum it up, my car lives again, moved in with my boyfriend, and spent a lot of time job hunting and finally got one within the past month. So I haven't really hadn't much time within the last five months to focus on writing…

However, I do have a little good news. I have a live-in beta reader! So kudos to my boyfriend.

Well enough chatter. I'll let you all begin!

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Chapter 3

_The warm sun shines down upon the blossoming field of wildflowers as a gentle breeze ripples across._

_A warm smile graces her lips as she feels the soft bed of flowers beneath her frame. Breathing in, her nose fills with the sweet aroma. Opening her dark eyes, she gazes up at the blue sky, noticing a few puffy white clouds floating by and a flock of birds._

"_The ground is nice...but to be up there…" She closes her eyes slightly as a small sigh escapes from her._

_Suddenly, a gust of wind whips her long hair around. The air feeling surprisingly chilly, yet refreshing, she rubs her arms slightly as she glances down and gasps. Below her, she notices patches of white spread across the faint colors of green and brown._

_With excitement filling her, she soars a little higher towards the thicker and puffier clouds. Curious of how a cloud would feel, she pounces to the closest one, clinging onto it and burying her face into its cotton-like softness._

_Instantly, a chuckle echoes throughout the sky, easily startling her._

"_Who's there?" She questions as she moves away from the cloud to glance around her surroundings._

_Quickly, the clouds begin to gather and turn gray as the sky darkens. The sound of thunder rumbles all around as a ball of light hurls in her direction._

_Catching a glimpse of the light out of the corner of her eye, she instinctively moves out of its path. The look of bewilderment crosses her face. "What the hell was that?" _

_Hearing a chuckle once more, she glances around. However, she realizes that her surroundings are now pitch-black._

_"Seriously, what was that light?"_

_"You will find out soon enough, Pan." A kind male voice echoes around._

_"...Who are you? How do you know my name?" She pauses for a moment as one last question comes to mind. "Who am I?"_

_"Those are all very good questions. However, you must wait. Your adventure has only begun."_

"_But-" _

"_Be strong."_

_Suddenly, she feesls gravity grab hold, dragging her back down to earth. Not knowing what lies beneath her, she closes her eyes, dreading the moment of impact._

Stirring awake, she props herself up on one arm. Glancing around her surroundings, she notices the trees around her and remembers exactly where she is. With a sigh of relief, she takes a few deep breaths to calm herself down. _'What a dream…'_ Raising her hands up slightly, she gently rubs the sleep away from her eyes.

Reaching her arms over her head, she feels the chilly air nip at her finger tips as she stretches. Opening her eyes, she notices it is late as the sun is just barely over the horizon. Used to waking up for her chores well before the sun, she realizes her exertions have taken more out of her than she thought.

Unzipping the sleeping bag, she moves slightly to the edge to put her shoes on. At her attempt to rise to her feet, she grimaces as aches traveling throughout her legs and feet, and only to find herself falling back on her butt. "Ouch… I didn't realize my legs are so sore… So much for taking good care of myself…" With a sigh and a wince she gently rubs her legs.

Making a second attempt, she rises to her feet once more only to stumble towards the nearest tree. "Something is telling me today isn't going to be easy…"

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Lifting her eyes from the asphalt road with a weary sigh, she turns her attention towards the sunset. The sight of the warm vibrant hues in the horizon brings a small smile to her lips. _'So beautiful...'_

She raises a hand up to her mouth as she feels a yawn ready to escape. Hunger, exhaustion, and pain were threatening to overwhelm her. Shaking her head, she tries to ignore her physical state and push a little harder. However, she notices that her pace is slowing down and her feet dragging along the asphalt. _'I need to keep going... at least for a little while longer...'_

Suddenly, a mouth-watering scent hit her nose as her stomach begins to grumble as on cue. She quickly glances up to find where it might be coming from. Looking ahead, she notices a few small restaurants and gas stations. She has come upon another town.

Letting out another sigh, she glances down as she steps onto the sidewalk. Lightly scratching at the back of her head she wonders, _'How am I supposed to find something to eat here if I don't have a way to buy anything?' _Her stomach continues to rumble.

"Are you feeling hungry enough to eat a horse? Are you interested in winning up to twenty thousand zeni? If so, come and be part of our semi-annual gut-buster seafood eating contest!"

At hearing that announcement, she quickly glances around and quickens her pace in order to find out where the contest is going to take place. Glancing ahead, she scans the area for any restaurants with a sign saying seafood.

"The eating contest will begin soon!"

It wasn't long before she notices a growing crowd around one of the restaurants and where the voice seems to be coming from. Glancing about the crowd, she could make out a sign with that one word. _'That must be the place…'_

Approaching the crowd, she could smell a delightful yet unusual aroma emitting from the restaurant. She could feel the movement of her empty stomach grumble and gurgle for every step closer she takes.

She excuses herself as she weaves through the crowd. Coming upon a table, she stops and looks at the pinned up sign right behind a couple of guys.

"Would you like to sign-up?" comes a man's voice.

Pan shifts her eyes slightly to the guy before her. "Definitely!"

"All right, I just need your full name."

"Pan..." She pauses for a moment as her mind didn't want to work properly due to lack of sustenance. "Son Pan."

Quickly scribbling her name down, he reaches for a numbered card to hand her. "Here you go. You're going to need this."

Glancing at the card for a moment, she raises a brow. "Um… what exactly do I do with this?"

"Take it inside, show it to a staff member, and they will assist you to the competitor's tables."

"Oh, all right." Turning to head towards the doors, she pauses for a moment. "Um, I know this is an embarrassing question, but what is Seafood?"

He glances back to her with the look of disbelief written on his face. "It's edible sea creatures. You're not a picky eater, are you?"

"Ah." She shakes her head slightly. "I'm hungry enough to eat practically anything."

"Good luck and I hope you enjoy it."

"I'll do my best." She said as she heads inside.

Out of the corner of her eye, she catches sight of vibrant hues. She turns in the direction of the colors, and gasps at the sight of the large marine aquarium. "Oh wow! What beautiful plants and rocks!"

"Well actually, those aren't all plants or rocks. If you take a closer look, you can see that they are slowly moving." Came a female voice.

"Really?" She steps forward to get a better look and focuses on the objects to notice them moving ever so slightly. "Wow, so what are they?"

"They're animals. They might look strange, but they are beautiful and plentiful in the sea."

Pan nods slightly as a bright blue fish passes in front of her. "Amazing. Is that what I'm going to be eating for the contest?"

"No, those are for show. By the way, I'm Mia. So you're here for the contest then?"

Pulling her attention from the aquarium, Pan turns towards Mia. "Yes I am."

"Excellent! It isn't very often we get women to sign up." She said in a cheery voice.

"How so?"

"The amount of food is usually too much for a girl to handle. It really is a lot of food… We usually get stuck with a lot of big slob guys…"

Pan lightly laughs. "Honestly, I haven't really eaten much at all today... So I don't think I'll have a problem eating it all."

"That's not very good for you… But if you can polish it all off, you probably wouldn't want to eat for the next week."

"Maybe a lot sooner than that."

"Anyway, the contest is going to start soon. I assume you were given a card, right?"

"Yeah, right here." Pan said, raising the card up.

"Good, good. Go ahead and take your backpack off. I'll place it in the back so it'll be safe."

Pan nods slightly as she removes the strapped bag from her back. "Thank you."

"Not a problem." Mai says as she takes the bag and turns around to lead the way. "Now let's get you seated."

"All right." Following behind, Pan glances about the room in awe. On the light-blue walls, loosely hanging nets were decorated with ornaments of various sea shells and creatures that look mysterious and alien-like.

Noticing the silence from Pan, Mia decides to make conversation. "I have a feeling that you've never had seafood before, right?" She asked glancing back.

"Never have… Is there a certain way to eat it?"

"Anything that has a shell, just crack it open to get the meat out. That's about it."

"Thanks for the tip, Mia."

Mia stops and turns towards Pan, gesturing for her to take a seat. "All right, go ahead and take a seat. I'll meet with you after the contest is over."

Pan nods slightly as she glances along the seats against the back wall before taking her seat. She notes the number of heavy-set guys along the row, and somehow she begins to feel a little uncomfortable.

"Get a look at this little girl! She's not going to be able to eat half of it," says a guy to her left.

"Yeah, she's too small to have a stomach for it all. She should probably give up now," states the guy on her right.

While listening to the two guys talk crap back and forth, she could feel annoyance begin to rise. "Could you two please stop making unnecessary comments?" She asks politely.

"Oh! So polite. Too bad, politeness doesn't get you anywhere in this world."

"I wonder if she's delicate, too." The guy to her left said as he slow reaches over to poke her.

"Don't you dare touch me, you arrogant fa-"

"All right! Contestants, are you ready to get your feast on?" Came an excited voice over the PA.

Pan quickly covers her ears as the room fills with roars. Glancing around the room, she noticed a few people in uniform, pushing carts pilled with food.

"Excellent! Once every contestant receives their food, you may begin at the sound of the horn!"

She could feel her dark eyes grow large at the sight of the plate covered with crustaceans before her. Taking in a small whiff, her mouth begins to water. _'It might look strange, but really smells delicious.'_

As a bowl of shelled mollusks and a plate of cuttlefish arms are placed down, a slight look of disgust plays its way across her face at the sight of the rubbery-looking arms. 'What in the world is that?'

Both of the big mouths next to her were laughing at the expression on her face. "Afraid of a little squid-"

"And octopus arms, little girl?"

Pan sighs slightly before glaring back and forth to them. "I am tired of you two making comments and trying to intimidate me. I would appreciate it if you both would mind your own business."

"Getting a little sassy now, are we?"

"Ah, so you want sass? I'll give you sass. Shut your pie-hole. You're only all talk, trying to boast. I think you cannot eat as much as you think, so let's just settle it with this feast." A small smirk tug at the corner of her lips as she could tell they are getting irritated.

"You're on!"

"You'll lose, little girl, and we'll have the last laugh!"

"We shall see about that."

"Competitors, you may begin!" The voice over the P.A. stated as a horn blew.

Pan quickly clasps her hands over her ears as the horn's sound echoes through her ears. She glances down the row for a moment, noticing everyone already digging in. Shaking her head a little, she removes her hands from over her ears and begins to get her feast on.

As a matter of a mere twenty minutes passes by, Pan pushes the dishes of empty shells back, sighing contentedly. The disbelieving stares of her competitors, audience, and judges following her every move.

"I think I'm gonna be sick. . ." The big-mouth to her left comments as he beats a hasty retreat to the bathrooms.

With that breaking the built up tension, the audience begins to cheer, loud and proud, for this waif who put the hulking fellows next to her to shame.

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Walking along, she glances down at the lump of zeni in her hand. _'Now what am I going to do with all this..?' _She rubs the back of her head slightly. Glancing around, she notices that the street is pretty quiet at the time being, except for a car going by every so often.

Out of the corner of her eye, she catches a small glimpse of a shadow take cover into a dark alley way. She suddenly begins to get an unsubtle feeling as if she was being watched. _'What's this feeling I'm getting..?'_ She wonders just as she recalls Tabatha saying, _"- If you feel like you're in danger, trust your instincts."_ Right now, her instincts are telling her to be aware of any sound and sudden movements, and to find some place safe.

She slips the cash into her pocket and begins to quicken her pace. She allows her eyes to wonder ahead, looking for a possible place that might serve as protection. Trying to keep calm, she focuses on her breathing momentarily. She could hear the shuffling of foot steps coming from behind her.

As a car drives by, the headlights cast a couple of shadows on the sidewalk, instantly catching her attention. As panic begins to set in, she instinctively runs off. However, sudden pain shoots throughout her body, instantly reminding her of the exertion she has already put herself through. Due to this, she finds her ability of speed is rather limited.

She could hear the pacing steps behind her begin to beat loudly on the concrete. Her heart pounds fiercely against her chest as she realizes that she's being chased.

Running across a street, she misses the step up onto the curb causing her to trip. Breaking her fall with her hands he blinks for a second, noticing her face stopped barely an inch from the concrete as a small sigh escapes from her. Listening to the trampling foot steps getting closer, she quickly rises to her feet. Taking a split second, she glances back over her right shoulder seeing them gaining on her.

As she shifts her attention back in front of her, she sees two figures out of the corner of her eye walking in her direction. Without time to think, she pushes herself to run straight ahead. She curses under her breath as the pain shooting throughout her body intensifies. She finds herself unable to move much faster than a jog.

Within a matter of seconds, she stops dead in her tracks as she feels a yank and a twist of her left arm. Wincing, she notices an arm place firmly her collarbone, and in the hand, is a small sharp knife.

"Hello there, Sweetheart..." A man said in a raspy voice.

"L-let me go..!" She shouts as she struggles slightly, grasping the guy's wrist with her free hand.

"We can't do that." Came a second voice as his figure moved in front of her.

"We'll cut ya a deal. Be a good girl and give us the dough and anythin' of value, and ya can go free."

She pauses for a moment as she raises a brow slightly. "Dough? I don't have any dough."

"Don't be naive, girl! Give us the dough!"

"Ya know, dough as in cash, mulla, zeni-"

"No!" She shouts and tightens her grip on her capturer's wrist.

"Shuddup, ya idiot, and just search her!"

"All right, all right." He said and approaches her.

"...No! Stay away from me!" She snaps. She quickly thrusts her right leg out, only to send him flying back.

"Stupid move, girl!" He attempts to move his wrist to bring the knife against the flesh of her neck. However, he notices the resistance of her grip. "What the-?"

"Is something wrong?" A smirk crosses her lips as she squeezes down his wrist and stomps forcefully upon a foot behind her.

His eyes grow large as he begins to howl out in agonizing pain, and suddenly letting go of her arm. He could feel his wrist being crushed under considerable pressure, causing his hold on the knife to loosen and slip from his hand.

Pan winces a little at his cry practically in her ear. Keeping her grip on the man's wrist, she moves her left arm for a little relief. Stepping and turning to her right, she moves behind her attacker, twisting his arm down and behind his back.

"E-enough! Please have mercy!" He cries out as it feels like she's about to snap his arm.

She blinks a little, coming back to her senses, and releases his arm. She takes a few steps backwards and glances down at the guy before her quickly get to his feet to scurry over to his accomplice on his knees some distance away.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" He grabs his buddy and begins to flee.

Pan lets a sigh escape as she begins to calm down. She leans back against a light pole as she could feel her legs wanting to give out on her. She slides down to sit upon the concrete surface to take a little rest.

Taking long deep breaths, she could focus on her surroundings. Hearing the shuffling of walking footsteps suddenly stopping, she glances up to see two figures before her. She rubs her weary eyes slightly before allowing her eyes to focus to notice two guys looking identical to each other.

"Hey, are you all right, Miss?"

"You're not shaken up too much, are you?"

She blinks for a moment as she glances between them, unable to decide to nod or shake her head. "I'm okay..."

"You did fairly well handing those two muggers. Have you ever taken self-defense or martial arts?"

She shakes her head. "No, I haven't... Why?"

"Just wondering how you managed to deal with them."

She tilts her head a little and lightly rubs confusedly. "I really don't know..."

"Well, the important thing is that you are unharmed, right?" He asked only to receive a nod from her.

"Cravat, Ascot. What was all that noise out here that interrupted my meditations?"

"Master," they said as they turned to him and bowed.

Pan turns her head in the direction of the approaching voice, only to see a middle-aged man with a thin goatee and shaved head.

"To be brief, the Miss here was being chased and attacked by muggers."

"However, she managed to fend them off before we could help her."

"Is that so?" He glances from his students then down to the sitting girl. "They didn't hurt you, right?"

"No, sir."

"That's good. I am Master Senshi Sora. Allow me to lend you a hand." He said as he reaches out to her.

She nods slightly as she takes his hand. "Thank you."

"You have quite a strong grip. What's your name?"

"It's Pan…" She winces at the pain shooting through her legs as she rises to her feet.

"You're in pain." Master Senshi stated with concern.

"Just a little. I have been traveling by foot since yesterday morning…"

"How many miles have you traveled?" Cravat and Ascot questions curiously.

"Um, I'm not too sure off the top of my head… How many miles is it to West City?"

"The city is about sixty miles give or take. Is that where you are heading?"

"Yes." Pan takes a moment to calculate how far she has traveled. "I've covered roughly one-hundred-fifty miles."

"Oh wow."

"I must say that is impressive. However, you must have been pushing yourself beyond the limit your body can handle. I am sure you could use a good night's rest to allow your body to begin healing itself."

She nods slightly. "I have been pushing myself..."

"I assume that you have no place to stay, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well Miss Pan, I can provide you a refreshing shower a bed for the night within the dojo dormitory, and in the morning, a ride to West City. This way, you can have a good night's rest and allow your body time to recover."

"You don't need to do all that for me."

"Nonsense, a young lady should not be traveling by herself. Let alone on foot." Master Senshi states only to receive a slight nod from her. "I need to go into the city anyway. So it isn't a burden to give you a ride there. So what do you say?"

Amazed by his generosity, Pan leans forward and bows gratefully. "Thank you for the hospitality. I really appreciate it."

"Not a problem."

"Allow me to carry your bag in for you." Ascot offers as he extends his hand.

"It's ok, I have it."

"I insist."

"Well, all right." She says as she unsnaps the two nylon straps from her chest and slides the bag off her shoulders. She hands it off to Ascot. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"Let's go inside so you can get settled in." Master Senshi states.

Pan nods with a smile. "Yes sir."

She watches the martial art master turn around and lead the way to the dojo. As she steps forward to follow, the tip of her shoe taps against the uneven concrete causing her to lean forward as she prepares herself to meet the ground. However, she felt an arm around her abdomen keeping her from falling.

"Watch your step there." Cravat said as he pulls her upright.

She glances to him for a moment. "Thank you."

"Since you're having difficulties walking, allow me to support you."

About to protest, she takes a moment to think of how fatigue she really feels before letting out a small sigh. "All right…"

Cravat hooks one of her arms across his shoulders, holding her hand in place. "If you don't mind me asking, what is in West City that is so important to drive you to walk so far?"

"I'm going there to find someone who can tell me about my father and my heritage…"

"Heritage? You are adopted, correct?"

She nods slightly. "Pretty much, but apparently for a good reason I just don't understand completely…"

"Well then, I can understand now why you are so adamant in getting to the city. There must be an interesting story you are tied to." Master Senshi guesses.

Glancing to Master Senshi, she raises her brow curiously. "How did you guess?"

"I cannot quite place it, but you are different than any other girl."

"Master, maybe we should focus on who she is looking for?", Ascot questions.

"Very well. Do you know who it is that knows about your heritage?" Master Senshi asks as he holds the door open.

"Yes, I do. I just don't know where to find her exactly."

"We can help you locate her." Cravat says, escorting her inside the building.

"It isn't very hard to find someone as long as you know their name."

"Really? That would be great!" She says while glancing between the brothers.

"It would be an honor."

"What is all the chatter about?" A red-headed woman questioned a few feet away.

"It's a long story, dear. If you could do me a favor, show Miss Pan here to a room. She will be staying here for the night, and given a ride into West City in the morning," said Master Senshi.

She nods and turns her attention to the raven haired girl. "Welcome, Miss Pan. I am Mrs. Senshi Mika."

Pan easily removes her arm from Cravat's shoulders. "It's a pleasure."

"Right this way. Ascot, please bring her bag." Mrs. Senshi turns to lead the way.

"Yes Ma'am."

"Once you freshen up, we can start searching that lady up."

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Here we are at the end of the chapter. I really hope you all liked it. I decided to make this chapter a bit longer since it has been months since the last chapter.

For the most part, this chapter was fun to write, and a little of it was based on personal experience… Around the beginning of February, I made a stupid move of going out for a six mile walk. Due to being out of shape, I was in intense pain for at least a week. I physically placed myself in Pan's position.

Anyway, I'm sure you all know what the next chapter will entail. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm wide open to them. I'll let you all begin hitting the Review button. The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll strap down to get the next chapter out!


	4. Chapter 4

I'm back with another update! How exciting!

Now I know I said if I got more reviews, I would update faster. However, life always seems to intervene. Within the past three months, I've managed to get a job at a spa, and moved up to the management position, which includes working long hours six-days per week... The hours have been very physically, mentally, and spiritually draining.

Just between us, I do have the time to do a little writing when it's slow at work. It's really the only time I can write without feeling exhausted. Thus, the reason why it has taken me this long to update.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Your reviews have been very encouraging to keep me going.

I will have some review comments at the end of the chapter.

Happy Reading!

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Chapter 4

Resting lightly against the passenger door, Pan could feel her head begin to slump forward just enough to startle her awake. She raises a hand to cover her mouth in time for a yawn to escape from her.

Master Senshi glances over to the girl for a moment and slowly shakes his head disbelief. _'I bet this girl would be able to sleep a week straight if she allowed herself to do so.'_He thought. With a slight chuckle escaping from him, he remembers how it took his wife an hour to wake her up in the first place.

"Oh no… Sorry I fell asleep…" She said, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you need all the sleep you can get."

Pan nods slightly. "I just don't want to miss anything…"

"You haven't missed anything yet. However, take a look into the distance."

She blinks slightly and glances ahead to acknowledge grouping of tall buildings. "Is that it?!"

"It sure is. We should be there in about ten minutes."

"I can't wait!" She said excitedly.

Master Senshi smirks at her excitement. "Well, before I take you over to Capsule Corporation, I have to do a few errands for the dojo, and the missus before I get side tracked. While I am doing that, you can spend some time looking around at some of the nearby shops."

She nods slightly. "All right, sounds like fun."

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Sipping on a fresh cup of coffee, Bulma let out a content sigh as she sits down at the table. She glances over to her son, who seems to be lost in thought. "What is going on in that head of yours, Trunks?"

"It's nothing to worry about, Mom." Trunks said, not wanting to make her worry.

Bulma raises a brow, knowing her son better than that. "Really? It doesn't seem like it. You've been bothered about something since last night when you suddenly rushed off. Just tell me what's going on."

"I took off because I felt an unusual ki spike."

"I guess you didn't find out who's ki it belongs to?"

"Unfortunately not. It only lasted a short while before dropping too low to sense."

"Do you think-"

"I don't think so. I was sensing fear and distress from it..."

"So whoever it is, was in some sort of danger then. Is this what seems to be eating at you?" Bulma questions as she resumes sipping on her coffee.

"That, and curiosity of who it might be that would have that amount of ki in this time."

"You do have a point there, son." She states as curiosity rises within her. "Well, don't try too hard deciphering this, it'll may cloud your judgment. Why don't you go for a walk and get some air?"

Trunks nods to his mother. He pauses for a moment before rising to his feet suddenly as he could feel an above-normal ki within the city. "Actually, that sounds like a good idea."

Bulma looks at him curiously from his sudden movement then noticed the look on his face, showing that something is close. "Enjoy your walk, and behave yourself. You don't need to give this mystery person a heart attack." She said with a smile.

"All right, I'll be back soon."

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Spinning around once, Pan glances up in amazement at the tall, futuristic, and oddly-shaped structures surrounding her. She just couldn't believe the size of them as she wonders how high up do they pierce the sky.

'_This looks so much different than the towns. Towns look very simple, but now it feels like I stepped into a complex and chaotic world.'_She thought as she watches people tightly squeezing past one another.

She shakes her head slightly._ 'Why am I just standing here, starring? I should be looking around before meeting back up.'_

Beginning to walk around, Pan glancing through shop windows to find something that just might interest her.

About twenty minutes later, as Pan walks out of a shop, she could hear shrilling sounds of screams and gunfire could be heard coming from around the corner. Curious as to what might be going on, Pan heads in that direction.

Seconds after, Pan quickly cups her hands over her ears as sirens echoes all around. Down the street she watches several cars with flashing lights flying down the streets in the direction she is heading.

_'What on Earth is going on?'_She wonders as she rounds the corner.

Pan notices a two story build is being barricaded by a group of people in uniform and a growing crowd of spectators. She makes her way over to the crowd to find out what exactly is going on.

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Staring down at the sidewalk, Trunks is once again lost in thought as he walks towards the unusual ki. _'Whoever I sensed last night is close by... What would be the best confront them without scaring them?'_He has been pondering since he left the house.

As the scent of gun powder hit his nose, along with the sound of a couple of shots, he has a good idea to where it is coming from. However, to his surprise, it's in the same direction of this mystery person. Not wanting to waste anymore time , he rushes off.

Arriving at the scene, Trunks let out a small sigh. By the look of it, it seems to be just a bank heist, and the police are trying to deal with it. _'I would help out. However, I have a more important matter... '_' His eyes trail off towards the spectators as he begins heading towards the crowd. His gut feeling is telling him that who he is looking for is there.

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After a short while longer of observing the event, Pan glimpses at the watch on her wrist, which Master Senshi allowed her to borrow to keep track of time. Her eyes grow as she realizes the time. _'Shoot! I need to get back to the car! I should have been there five minutes ago! He's probably wondering where I am...'_She quickly turns around and begins squeezing through the crowd.

With the unfamiliar crowd pressing in around her, Pan starts to feel the unusual sensation of panic. The teeming mass of humanity that she is wholly unconditioned for making breathing difficult and vertigo was rising. She closes her eyes for just long enough to feel herself walking into a solid mass, causing her to stumble back and lose her balance. Preparing for a fall, she clinches her eyes shut tightly and takes a deep breath.

Instead of feeling anything or anyone beneath her, there is nothing except a firm masculine hand grasping her wrist pulling her upright. Opening her eyes, she meets a pair of cerulean eyes looking intently at her, causing her cheeks to redden.

_'Her ki wavered a bit... It's definitely her that I've been sensing... But how..?'_ He ponders while studying the raven-haired girl. '_She looks rather innocent... Somehow oddly familiar..._'

Noticing a few lavender strands gently swaying in front of the blue eyes, Pan glances up slightly, momentarily looking in awe at the man's soft lavender hair. Feeling a little more pressure on her wrist, She blinks for a moment before raising a brow. "Can you please let go?"

Hearing her request, draws him out of his thoughts as he releases her wrist. He runs his hand in his hair with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. Are you all right?" He asks.

"I'm fine, thank you." She said.

"That's good. Um, do you have a minute?"

Suddenly, the time strikes her memory. She shakes her head. "Oh no, sorry, I gotta get going! I'm running late." She states as she quickly maneuvers around him and heads around the corner.

He turns, watching the girl run off. _'Yeah, there's no way she's human. I wonder where she could possibly be heading? I'd better follow.'_

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Pulling up to the curb, Master Senshi parks the car and turns it off. "Here we are, Miss Pan."

Pan glances out her window to the gigantic yellow dome-shaped building before getting out of the car. _'Capsule Corps. eh? So this is it.'_

"You seem nervous." Master Senshi said as he gets out and heads to the trunk to grab her backpack.

"I am…" She said, looking to him for a moment.

"Don't be, I'm sure everything will be fine."

"What a surprise to see you here." Comes a familiar masculine voice.

Blinking for a moment, Pan remembers where she has heard that voice before. She turns around meeting the same blue eyes as she did a little while ago. "It's you again. Sorry about earlier, I didn't have the time to talk."

"It's all right, now that I see you were on your way here."

"How'd you-"

"You two have already met?" Master Senshi raised a brow to Pan.

"For a minute… I was in a rush, and I accidentally bumped into him earlier." She said, as she rubs the back of her head sheepishly.

Trunks' eyes grew slightly at her action as he recalls seeing that exact expression and action in the past. Seeing this, begin to make him wonder, _'No way…it isn't possible. She couldn't be… Gohan couldn't have…'_

"You should be a little more careful, Miss Pan."

"I know, but I was a little dizzy at the moment."

He shakes his head slightly, snapping from his thoughts. "It's Pan, right?"

Hearing her name coming from the other male, she redirects her attention to him. "Correct."

"Your father's name wouldn't be Gohan, would it?" He questions curiously.

She looks thunderstruck at him before nodding. "Yes. How do you know? Are you?"

"Trunks Brief. Gohan was my best friend, and my mentor." He states, emotions stirring as he remembers finding Gohan lying lifeless.

Pan tilts her head curiously, watching the painful emotions reflecting in Trunks' eyes. She was about to say something, until she feels a hand on her shoulder. Glancing over her shoulder, she notices Master Senshi shake his head slightly.

"It's time for me to get back to the dojo, Miss Pan. I'm sure you're in good hands from here out."

She turns around to face him for a moment and bows slightly. "Thank you for the help. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Get some well-deserved rest, and don't be shy to come visit us sometime."

"Of course." She said with a smile as she takes her backpack from him.

"Take care." Master Senshi said, heading back into the car.

Trunks walks up behind her. "You better come inside. I'll carry your bag." He said, receiving a nod from her and being handed the bag.

Turning slightly, she watches him lead the way before following. "So how did you know?"

"Know what?"

"Where I was and where I was heading." She questioned curiously.

"I sensed your unusual ki."

"Ki? What's that?"

At that last question, Trunks stopped and turned, looking completely flabbergasted at the girl. "You don't know?" He asked only to see her shake her head. This begins to make him wonder if she ever knew much about her father.

"Should I know?"

"What do you know about your father?"

"That he's kind, one of the strongest fighters, fought against the Androids, and capable of flying."

"So you don't really know much more about him?"

"No... However, that's the reason why I'm here and to find out about my heritage."

"I see... There is a lot for you to learn."

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Entering the living room, Pan glances around curiously and notices pictures up on the walls.

"I'm going to go get my mother, so wait in here, but feel free to look around." Trunks said, as he placed the backpack down next to the couch.

"All right." She said, drifting over to a large-group picture.

Trunks knew exactly where his mother would be and quickly made his way to her lab.

Hearing the door open from behind, Bulma didn't bother looking away from the computer. "Welcome back, Trunks. How did it go?"

"Mother, did you know anything about Gohan having a daughter?" He questioned seriously.

At the question, she suddenly turns around in her chair to look at her son. "What?! Heaven's no!"

"The ki I have been sensing belongs to a girl named Pan. Apparently, she knows enough to identify Gohan, but she has no knowledge of her heritage."

"But he couldn't have."

"Yet, she's here. She does that nervous-sheepish Son's trait. It's unmistakable."

"How old is she?"

"I didn't ask, but she looks to be about fourteen or fifteen."

"Oh my...Then that means Gohan must have been close to that age..." Bulma was shocked, she cannot believe that Gohan would do that at such a young age. _'What on Earth was going through that Saiyan's mind?_'

"She he came here for answers."

"I'm not very surprised about that. If I was her, I would have too. However, I'm beginning to wonder how she knew who to find?"

"I'm not too sure."

Bulma gets up from her chair and begins walking towards the door. "Well now, I want to meet her."

"She's waiting in the living room."

"Good, good."

Meanwhile, Pan focused on one picture in particular. It was of a one-armed man with short black hair and a muscular build wearing a blue shirt with an orange outfit. Some reason she feels drawn to the picture, uncertain why. It takes her a moment to remember the words Tabatha described her father. _'Tall...Black hair and black eyes... Godlike body? She must have meant muscular by that._' She couldn't help but to lightly giggle and rub the back of her head.

"That was a picture of Gohan a little over seven years ago." Came a feminine voice.

Pan quickly puts the picture down and turns around to meet a blue-haired woman. "What happened to his arm..?"

"He lost it in battle." Trunks states bluntly.

Bulma leans in a bit to study the raven-haired girl for a moment, noting that she has seen similar facial features long ago. "So you're Pan. You do look quite a bit like Chi-Chi when she was younger."

"As in my Grandma?" She asked with a raised brow.

"If you really are Gohan's daughter, then yes."

Reaching into her pocket, Pan pulls out the folded letter that she has kept close. "Maybe this would help." She said, passing it to Bulma.

"Hm, what's this?" Bulma questioned, taking the paper and opening it to read.

With the silence, Pan begins to feel a bit nervous. She glances over to Trunks, who seems to be waiting on what his mother has to say.

"So this explains how you knew who to look for. Gohan had everything planned out for better or for worse. He definitely was a smart boy. I will give him that. I assume you know who I am then?"

"Yeah, you're Bulma."

"I sure am."

"Anyway, I just found out about that letter a few days ago."

"Hm, you look a bit flushed. Have you been drinking enough water?" Bulma asked only to see the girl shake her head. "Trunks, why don't you get her some water."

"Sure thing." He said, heading to the kitchen.

"I can't believe that Gohan would keep such a secret from us, especially poor Chi-Chi... She has lost just about everything precious to her... Though, Gohan's right about how she would have reacted."

"She's all right though?" Pan asked curiously with a bit of worry.

"Yes, even though it's been awhile since the last time I talked with her. However, I bet she'll be happy to know she has you now. I should give her a call right and have her come over."

Pan's eyes grow slightly with excitement. "Really?! Right now?!"

Bulma nods slightly. "Yes. However, it will take her quite some time to get here. Mount Paozu is a long distance from here. I'll go call her right now. It'll only take a moment." Bulma said, walking off to get the phone.

Walking back into the room, Trunks holds out a glass of water for Pan. "Here, drink up."

"Thank you." She said taking the glass.

"So, I'm curious, where have you been hidding... I mean living all this time?"

"On a farm, close to two-hundred miles away."

_'That's not too far away... Why did I never notice?'_Trunks thought for a moment. "How did you manage to get here?"

"I traveled by foot most of the way, until last night." She said as she sits down onto the couch.

"The town you were in last night, something happened to you. What was it?" He questioned, watching her look at him with the 'how did you know' look. "I felt your ki skyrocket in a sort of distress call. It's difficult for me not to notice."

"I was attacked by a couple of guys..." She states as she glances down uncomfortably for a moment. "If I wasn't exhausted and in pain from traveling, I wouldn't have been caught..."

_'Dammit! I should have got there faster...'_

Glancing up, she noticed the serious and worried look upon his face. "But it's all right. I didn't get hurt. Though, I sort of spaced out until one of them was on the ground and in tears..." She said, trying to lighten the mood.

"No it's not. You could have been hurt badly. They could have been seriously hurt as well, even if they deserve it." He states firmly as a thought echoes in his mind. _'She doesn't know any better. She doesn't know how to control herself. She doesn't know what she is.'_

She seem taken back a little before nodding. "Okay."

Trunks let out a small sigh. "I'm not trying to lecture you, if that's what you are thinking. It's just that you can be dangerous if and when you do happen to blackout. I can teach you to control that and among many other things, which would be beneficial to you."

"What do you mean I can be dangerous? How?"

"You're part Saiyan. Saiyans were a warrior race from another planet, who would conquer other planets with brute strength. Eventually, a tyrant wiped out the vast majority of the Saiyan race, except for a small number. Your grandfather and my father were among the very few." He explained as he could tell what he was saying is sinking into her. "If it seems obscure or too much information, just say so."

She shakes her head slightly. "No. It's a little weird, but rather interesting. Almost every night, I prefer staring at the stars, wondering what's out there."

"That's because of your Saiyan blood. It craves for adventure into the unknown." Bulma states getting the feel of nostalgia come over her as she enters the room . "Your Grandpa Goku always went looking for adventures every possible chance. I went on some adventures with him when I was young. How I miss those days."

Pan couldn't help but to smile as she turns to look at the blue-haired woman. "So is my grandma coming?"

"Of course! I didn't say anything about you. We should keep you a surprise for now. She's also bringing her dad along."

"I have a great grandpa?!"

"Yes you do. I noticed Gohan didn't mention anything about him in that letter, but he's quite a jolly guy now. The first time I met him, he was intimidating and almost scared the bunny outfit off of me."

Trunks suddenly looks down and covers his face, feeling embarrassed at how his mother had to word that. "...I did not need that mental image, Mother..."

Pan glances over at him and giggles slightly at his reaction, sheepishly rubbing her head.

"Well I'm sorry, but it's Oolong's fault." Bulma states, unable to hold back a smile and glances over to the raven-haired girl. "Ah there's that look. You're right Trunks, she definitely has that trait."

"How long will it take for them to get here?"

"Where they are coming from is clear across the continent. It's going to take them a good portion of the day at the least. However, because of the distance, they will be staying for a few days. I figure it would be good for you two to spend some quality time together."

"I would like that! Thank you, Bulma!"

"You're welcome, Pan." She says with a smile. With an idea popping into her head, she glances over to her son. "Trunks, can you show her to one of the spare rooms? I would be I need to get back into the lab."

"Yeah, not a problem."

"After that, maybe you can give her a little lesson and show her a few things outside."

"I was already planning on doing that."

"Have fun you two." She said as she started heading back to her lab.

Pan glances over to the lavender-haired man. "Show me what?"

"You'll see. It'll be fun for you."

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Shortly after, the pair of demi-saiyans make their way out into the backyard, a little way from the building.

Coming to a stop, Trunks turns around and glances at the girl before him. "Before I show you anything, I need to give you a quick lesson of what ki is. Hopefully, you will be open-minded about it."

"Believe me, I am open-minded."

"Good, I'll make this quick. Ki is the life-force energy which every living thing possesses. It's everywhere you turn, and can be felt by one's subconscious mind, much like sensing a change in weather before you can see it change. Being able to feel ki, subtle or not, is something everyone is sensitive to. However, the majority of humans have forgotten how to notice and interpret what they are feeling. They have the habit of rationalizing things they cannot see and understand. For us, we are much more inclined to trusting our instincts than they are." He pauses for a moment, watching her. " Is this making any sense, Pan?"

"It does. I was actually sensing a bad vibe last night, and the gut feeling was too strong to ignore."

"Then you're on the right track. You just need to hone in on that instinct, but don't worry about focusing on that right now. There's plenty of time for that later."

She nods slightly. "So what are you going to show me?"

"Well here's one." He says, holding his hand out towards her as a bright yellow sphere forms in his palm.

Her eyes grew slightly as she leans forward, staring at the light and feeling the warmth radiating from it. "Oh wow, that's amazing."

"You get astonished easily, don't you?"

"You have no idea... I've been living on a farm for fifteen years, never seeing the outside world until two days ago. Being able to witness things first hand is much more stunning than looking at outdated pictures. Even seeing something like this is unbelievable." She said, glancing up.

He chuckles lightly as a smile tugs at the corner of his lip. "I guess you do have a valid point there. I guess you haven't accidentally tapped into any of your abilities yet, otherwise you would be able to do some of the things I can." He says, letting the ki dissipate from his palm.

She raises a brow curiously to him. "I'm capable of doing it too?"

"With your Saiyan blood and proper training, you can very easily. However, Martial Artists are capable of tapping into the same power, but they would require a greater amount of training."

"Well what's next?" She questions.

"It's a surprise so close your eyes."

"Um, all right..." She closes her eyes and lightly rubs the back of her head, curious of what it might be.

"Do you trust me?"

"...Yes." She answers, suddenly being swept up by a pair of muscular arms.

"Whatever you do, do not open your eyes until I say, all right? I'll make it quick." Feeling her nod, he shoots quickly up into the air.

From the sudden and unexpected movement, a silent gasp escapes from her. Feeling her stomach sink, she instinctively buries her face into his chest and clings onto his black shirt for dear life. Over the sound of the air pressure roaring by, she can hear a chuckle rumbling in his chest, making her cheeks redden slightly in embarrassment. _'It's not funny...!' _

Reaching well above the city, Trunks slows his pace before coming to a halt. He glances down at the girl in his arms, gently shaking her. "You can relax now, Pan. It's not like I'm going to drop you."

Taking a moment to calm down enough, she glances up at him with her brows furrowed slightly. "A warning would have been nice."

Mildly amused at the look upon her face, he smirks slightly. "My apologies. Why don't you take a look around? I'm sure you would like the sight."

She blinks curiously at him for a moment, letting her facial features soften. Glancing away, she gasps at the stunning sight of being up in the vast blue sky. Letting her eyes fall below, a feeling of nervousness fills her as she realizes how high above the city they are. "I can...see the entire... city and more..." She said, with nervousness evident in her voice.

"Mhm. It's really something, don't you think?"

"It is... It's more than I've dreamed it would be." She says, glancing back to him. "Why didn't you tell me you could fly?"

"I thought I would surprise you rather than just tell you."

She smiles softly. "Thank you. I love the view."

"Anytime."

"You're going to teach me what you know, right?" She questions with a raised brow.

"If that's what you want, I have no problem with that. However, it's important for you to learn self-control and self-defense before anything else. Don't need you to get attacked again or you to break someone's bones."

"I understand..." She said, quickly covering up a yawn.

"Maybe we should get back so you can get some rest. I'm sure walking so many miles in a matter of a couple of days, have caused you quite an exertion." He mentions, letting his form drift slowly back towards the ground.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'm still very exhausted. I could definitely use the rest."

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All right! We are at the end of another chapter. I know, it's a shame that's where it is ending for now. I was originally going to make this chapter a short one, but with the amount of time it took me to put it up, I figured I would making it longer. Just about thirteen pages long on MS-Word.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this latest chapter.

Now for the last chapter review comments:

Reply to SweetenedSky: You made a great guess as to who it was talking in her dream. I figure if it is possible for those in the Other World to contact the living in the mainstream universe, it's likely for it to happen in any universe, conscious or not. As for your question, the Androids were destroyed a little over three years prior to the story.

Reply to Leelo Forever: I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. When I first started working on this story, I had a specific view on how I wanted to describe and pace it rather than making it feel rushed, unplanned, and messy. A main objective is to add in that "Dragon Ball-esque" feeling due to the environment Pan has been raised in, making it her adventure of discovery. I'm glad you caught the puns. I actually did not come up with Cravat and Ascot. However, my boyfriend did. I do have plans for the brothers and Master Senshi somewhere down the road.

All right, I think that's all I have to say for now. I will be getting on the ball to writing the next chapter very soon. I might just start it tomorrow. So until next time, click that review button below and leave me one.


	5. Chapter 5

I'm sure everyone is aware of what time it is, right? Yep, it's update time again! This time, I actually managed to get the chapter done in less than three months! Haha!

Well, I am not going to sit here and explain my reality, but I'll just skip to the point. I have nothing to really say other than Happy Reading!

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Chapter 5

The majority of the day has gone by quickly and peacefully at Capsule Corps.

Looking at the time, Bulma realizes how much of the day has gone by. "It's already after six... I guess it's time to stop for the night, since Chi-Chi should be here shortly. " She says to herself as she shuts the monitor off and rises from her chair to stretch.

Pushing her chair in, she begins to head out of the lab. _'I wonder how Chi-Chi will react to the news? She can be pretty unpredictable.'_ She wonders, flipping the lights off and pulling the door closed.

Making her way into the living room, Bulma looks around for any sign of life, curious as to why it's rather quiet._ 'Maybe they're out doing something.'_ She thought, only to hear the glass door open in the kitchen.

"Is that you, Trunks?" She calls out while heading towards the kitchen.

"Of course it's me. Who else would it be?" He answers, opening the refridgerator to withdraw a bottle of water.

"Could have been Pan." Bulma said, leaning against the archway, glancing at her sweat drenched son.

"True, only if she wasn't asleep right now."

"Asleep? Did you wear her out or something?"

He shakes his head, wiping his forehead with the towel draped over his shoulder. "She was well beyond exhausted when she got here. However, she was forcing herself to stay awake."

"I can understand that. How long has she been asleep for?"

"At least seven hours."

"Ah, so you two were only outside for a little while then?"

"Yeah, I at least give her a bird's eye view of the city. I figure there will be plenty of time to teach her, but right now the rest is more important."

"You would be right."

"Anyway, I better clean up before they get here." He said, walking past his mother.

"That would be a wise idea. I don't think Chi-Chi would appreciate cooking in a musky environment." Bulma teases, fanning her hand in front of her nose.

"Yeah, yeah. Very funny."

"Aww, come on Trunks, you need to loosen up and have some fun now and then."

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Hearing incoherent voices echoing through the halls, Pan rolls onto her back as she begins to stir awake. Letting a large yawn escape from her, she stretches out a little before brings her hands down to rub her eyes. _'What's all the noise about? Where am I...again?'_ She wonders as she sits up and glances around the dark unfamiliar room nervously.

_'My mind is just playing a trick on me.' _She sighs slightly as she relaxes and turns the night stand lamp on. Moving to the edge of the bed, she stares at the floor, dreading to be on her feet.

She perks up at the sound of knocking on the bedroom door and quickly lunges for the door. The feel of pain shooting through her legs causing her to freeze up and fall on her hands and knees as she seethes in agony. _'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!'_

Hearing a thud on the other side, Trunks quickly opens the door and makes his way over to the girl. "Are you alright, Pan?" He asks, placing a change of clothes on the bed and kneels down beside her.

"Just peachy..." She mumbles as she bites on her lower lip and holds back her tears.

"Obviously, you're still in pain from physical exertion. I would give you a sensu bean, but then you wouldn't be hungry to eat the dinner Chi-Chi has been preparing."

She glances up at him with a raised brow momentarily. "My Grandma is here already?!" She asked excitedly, without any sign of pain showing on her face.

He's taken aback by her sudden change in mood. Scary as it might seem, he couldn't help but to chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"You have no idea how many different traits you have inherited."

"What do you mean?"

"Just wait and see." He said, as he begins to help her back up to her feet. "Anyway, I came up here to give you a change of clothes. It was my mother's idea."

She winces at the pain and tries her best to ignore it as she glances at the clothes resting on the bed. "Oh? Well thanks for bringing them to me..."

"You're welcome. Dinner should be done any time, but take your time." He said, letting go of her and heading back to the door.

"Okay. I'll be down soon." She turns towards the bed and waits to hear the door close before changing into a white tank top and khaki pants.

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Following the intoxicating aroma, her mouth begins to water. _'Whatever it is, it smells delicious. Now that I think about it... I haven't eaten all day...' _She thought, as she placed a hand over her grumbling stomach.

Acknowledging the pair of unfamiliar voices in conversation with that of Bulma's, she stops at the end of the hall. Aware of who the voices belong to, she could feel her gut swell with nervousness and anticipation. Her thoughts of hunger have been replaced with questions of what her Grandma and Great Grandpa might think of her.

Leaning against the wall, she closes her eyes and takes a couple of deep breaths to help regain a calm composure. _'All right. Come on, I can do this.' _She thought, as she heard a plate being placed on the table and dinner announced.

"That's all of it. Dinner is officially ready." A Soft toned woman said, dusting her hands off.

"It looks good Chi-Chi."

"Thank you, Dad."

"We should wait a moment. She should be down here any time." Bulma said.

"She?" Chi-Chi questions.

"You'll see Chi-Chi. Maybe I should check on her."

"That won't be necessary Mother."

"Oh, Trunks must have found a girlfriend!"

Suddenly, Pan heard a crashing sound followed by Bulma and an older man laughing. Forgetting all about her nervousness, she whips into the dining room to investigate. Glancing down, she finds Trunks on the floor with a chair beneath him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Trunks said, rolling off of the chair and rises to his feet. Glancing over at his mother, he shakes his head disbelief. "Very mature Mother..."

Bulma begins to wipe away her tears of laughter. "I'm sorry Trunks, but your reaction was priceless."

Pan glances at the woman in the chinese style dress and the large bearded man, only to notice them studying her. Feeling somewhat timid, she averts her eyes from the pair for a moment before realizing how to make this less awkward for her. Bowing slightly, she introduces herself. "H-hello, my name is Pan."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Pan. I am Chi-Chi, and this is my father, Ox-King."

"I can't quite place it, but she looks oddly familiar." Ox-King ponders.

Bulma walks over to Pan's side and places a hand on the girl's shoulder. "There's a reason why I invited you two over. Chi-Chi, this girl is your granddaughter."

Ox-King gasps out in realization. "She sort of does look like Chi-Chi at that age!"

Chi-Chi fell silent as the words echo in her head. _'It's impossible.' _She shakes her head slightly in denial. "Gohan would never-"

"That's what I thought at first, but then I started thinking. Think of everything he went through starting with losing his father at the age he did and everything else going downhill. That much pain and loss can most definitely destroy a person's innocence and change them drastically. You should know the feeling Chi-Chi." Bulma explained.

Chi-Chi holds up her hardened exterior regardless of the pain within threatening to show itself. "Gohan wouldn't do something so irresponsible."

"People do certain things for crazy reasons, that is irresponsible. However, since he had saiyan blood and gambling with his life daily, I believe that he was following his instinct, even if it was procreation. We don't know what exactly was going through his fifteen-year-old mind and never will. He knew the consequences well. The only thing that matters now, is that you haven't lost everything as you thought."

Starting to crumble, Chi-Chi's emotions begin to show. She wasn't certain which she should be feeling; happiness or sadness.

"Now, now Chi-Chi. Everything is okay." Ox-King said, trying to assuage her.

Watching her grandma being vulnerable, Pan feels a small pain bottling up in her throat.

"If anyone ever really needs a hug, it's her." Bulma whispers to the raven-haired girl.

Pan nods slightly as she approaches the emotional woman and wraps her arms around her in a warm embrace.

The older raven-haired woman glances down for a moment, feeling a sense of peace and comfort coming from the girl. A feeling she hasn't felt in so many years. A soft smile graces her face as she raises a hand to brush away a few leaking tears from her dark eyes. "Thank you..." She whispers.

Pan glances up for a moment with a smile before taking a step back. Her gaze travels over to the table, seeing the food just sitting there. The sight causes her stomach to make itself known not only to herself but everyone in the room. Her cheeks redden with embarrassment as she rubs her head sheepishly before the room fills with laughter.

"Come one, let's eat before the food gets cold." Chi-Chi said happily.

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After dinner, Chi-Chi gathers up the plates and prepares to wash the dishes, expecting herself to do it all.

"I'll do the dishes." Pan said getting up from her seat and walks over to her grandma.

"Are you sure? There's a lot to do."

Pan glances into the sink for a moment and sweat drops. _'She's not kidding...' _She thought, but nods. "Yeah, I can have them done in no time. Besides, you cooked. I'm sure you can use a break."

Seeing the girl offering to take over cleaning brings a smile to her. Never once has anyone offered to clean dishes that she could recall. "You really are a sweetheart, Pan."

"Well I try to help out whenever I can. There's no reason why only one person should pull the weight others can give a hand with."

"Whoever raised you, did a very good job teaching you respect and responsibility."

"You really think so?" Pan asks as she begins on the dishes.

"Yes, it's nice to have someone who's willing to help."

"Chi-Chi, could I talk to you for a moment outside?" Trunks asked, pointing to the back door.

"Of course."

Closing the sliding door, Trunks glances at Chi-Chi for a moment. "I'm not sure how you will take this, but it's important."

"All right, I'm all ears."

"Last night, I felt Pan's ki spike in distress. I found out today, through her, that she was attacked by muggers."

"What?! She's okay, right?"

"She didn't even get a scratch. Anyway, the muggers were the ones who ended up getting hurt."

"Serves them right for picking on the wrong girl."

"What I'm trying to get to is she has absolutely no self-control and no experience in self-defense. It would be best for her to learn how to protect herself properly. Otherwise, if she's put into a position like that again, she could endanger herself and everyone around her."

"Let's get one thing straight Trunks. I don't want her fighting or involved in any fight to the death. You know where that put everyone else."

"I understand where you're coming from Chi-Chi, but I believe that should be her choice. She is Saiyan after all. However, fighting is not what I'm talking about."

"Fighting is everything you Saiyan's live for."

"You have quite the misconception. Goku may have always been off training, but he trained in order to be able to fight to protect everything he held dear. Gohan fought for the same exact purpose, to bring that hellish nightmare to an end. I fought to bring peace once again so no one would have to live in fear. I train so I can be ready for the next possible threat that may surface. Each one of us, even the rest of the fighters, always fought for a noble cause."

Taken aback, Chi-Chi sighs slightly. Has she always been so ignorant when her family's motives for fighting should have been obvious? She couldn't help but to feel foolish. "You're right Trunks."

"I don't know if Gohan ever did explain how he lost his arm other than from a fight. Honestly, I blame myself for his death. If I wasn't with him, he wouldn't have lost his arm by protecting me. If he didn't lose his arm, I am sure he would still be alive..."

"He didn't tell me that... He did what he thought was right. Maybe it's time to stop dwelling on the past and move on."

He nods in agreement. "Would you be willing to teach Pan self-defense? It will give both of you some extra time to bond."

"I will for defense purposes only."

"That's great. She'll be happy."

"I know."

With the conversation over, they head back inside to find everyone else congregating in the living room.

"So Pan, why don't you tell us all about you." Bulma asked.

"All right! Well..." She begins telling her story.

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Well there's the end of the chapter! I know the chapter may seem short, but there definitely a purpose to this chapter. Sometimes breaking down the toughest of walls is necessary to get someone to open up to possibilities, right?

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed reading it. I will be starting on the next chapter soon, as I still need to work on a chapter for What Comes with Turning of Age. I have actually put that story off from working on this one for the past year...

Please, please, I ask of you to leave me a review. I love to know your thoughts.


	6. Chapter 6

Hiiiiii! I am back with a new chapter after how many months...? Nine? Anyway, life is just a crazy roller coaster for me, but now I have time to just relax and write.

Well, I'm just going to keep the chit-chat short and let the reading begin.

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Chapter 6

Sitting upon the windowsill, Pan stared lethargically at the dense fog as the coolness of the glass soothed her skin.

Feeling her eyes begin to close, her head slumps forward just enough to startle her awake. Shaking her head, she reaches her arms out above to stretch.

"Never again..." She tells herself as a weary sigh escapes from her. Bringing her arms back down, she rubs her eyes slightly before glancing over to the clock next to the bed, causing her to frown.

For the past six hours, the bed has been calling to her and all she's wanted to do is to dive in and sleep. However, due to sleeping all afternoon yesterday, her body has been refusing her wishes and attempts to curl up and rest like everyone else.

Shifting away from the window, she carefully steps down and takes a moment to gain her balance. Her lower extremities still burn of soreness, but she slowly beings to build a toleration for the pain.

Making her way across the room to the door, she could feel a hollow pit in her stomach beginning to nag for sustenance. _'Time to get some breakfast...'_

Fifteen minutes later...

Staring at the sizzling skillet, her head begins to droop forward slightly enough to get her attention.

"Besides fixing breakfast, what are you doing up at five in the morning? Shouldn't you be resting?"

Jumping in surprise, she glances towards the arc way to see a disheveled Trunks leaning against the wall. "Well, if I wasn't here, I would already be doing chores. I'm used to being up before dawn. However, yesterday was an exception."

"And so should the next couple of days. You're practically falling asleep where you stand." He states with concern.

"I'll live... Even if I try to sleep, my body won't let me now." She said raising a hand to cover her mouth as she yawns.

"Riiiight." He says, making his way over to the coffee pot to brew a batch.

"Anyway, are you usually up at this time?"

He shakes his head. "More like around seven."

"Then why are you?" She questions, as she turns the burner off and transfers the food onto a plate.

"It's difficult to sleep when someone's ki isn't exactly subtle." He teased.

"Oh... sorry... It's just -"

"I know, you were out cold for some time yesterday. It happens." He said with a chuckle as he pours himself a cup of coffee.

"Yeah... and I'm paying for it..."

"So how's your pain?"

"Unforgiving..."

"All right. I'll be right back, so wait a moment before you eat." He says, heading out of the room with the mug in his hand.

She rubs the back of her head curiously. "Umm... okay?"

Within no time, he returns to see the raven-haired girl standing next to the table. Stepping towards her, he extends his hand out with a single green bean in his palm. "Here, this will definitely help you feel like new."

Taking the bean, she raises a brow as she examines it. "How can it exactly? It looks just like a edamame."

"Yes, but unlike any other bean, this one is grown in a sacred place and has healing properties. Go ahead, eat it." He says, walking towards the coffee pot to pour a second cup.

Hearing honesty in his voice, she pops the bean in her mouth and chews. As she swallows the bean, an overwhelming sensation travels throughout her body. She could feel her pain diminish instantly and her stomach swell with fullness. _'Oh wow!'_

Feeling a surprising change in her ki, he turns back towards the girl. _'What the... Her ki is rather impressive given her background. I guess I shouldn't expect anything less. But what I don't quite understand is why I never became conscious her ki until lately?'_

Feeling eyes on her, she turns her attention to him. Noticing the shock and distant gaze upon his face, she curiously raises a brow. "Hey, Trunks? Is something wrong?"

'_Maybe I was just under too much stress to be aware of her, or she was far enough away for me not to notice... Why am I worrying about this now? It doesn't matter anymore.'_

Unable to get a response from him, she walks up to him and waves her hand in front of his face. "Hello, anybody in there?"

Pulling from his thoughts, he grasps her wrist with his free hand just to get her to stop waving before him. "Sorry Pan, what did you say?"

"I asked if something was wrong."

"Oh, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking." He said releasing her arm. "So are you feeling better now?"

"I feel great! No pain, no aches, and no exhaustion! Thank you!" She says happily as she leans in giving him a quick hug and a friendly peck on the cheek, before stepping back with a smile.

A blush furiously spreads upon his cheeks as he glances away out of the corner of his eye embarrassingly. "You're welcome..."

She tilts her head slightly at the sight of his colored cheeks, clueless to her affect upon him. "Why are you blushing?"

He turns away and takes a sip, hiding his face from her. "Oh, uhh, It's nothing."

"Hmm... If you say so." She turns around to see the plate of food she placed on the table only minutes before. It no longer looked appetizing to her, but she doesn't want it to go to waste. "If you would like, you can have the breakfast I fixed. I'm not hungry anymore."

"Sure, thanks Pan.."

ˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆ

As some time passes, Pan leans against the couch's arm with her cheek in her palm. Signs of boredom appear across her face. '_What is there to do..?'_ She ponders as she subconsciously bounces her leg slightly.

Feeling the floor begin to quiver beneath his feet, Trunks places a science magazine down on the coffee table as he glances over to the girl. "You know, if you keep doing that, you're not only going to wake everyone else up, but also make everyone in the city think there's an earthquake."

She raises a brow curiously. "What do you mean by _doing that_?"

"Bouncing your leg." He said, only to notice her stopping instantly.

"Sorry..." She says meekly. "Is there anything to do around here?"

He chuckles lightly. "Yes, but not too much for the next couple of hours or so."

"I need to get outside and do something. I don't do too well begin stuck with nothing to do for a long period of time..." She said getting up from the couch and begin to walk around.

"Hm, alright then. I know the perfect thing."

She raises a brow curiously. "What would that be?"

He chuckles slightly as he rises from the chair. "You'll see. I'm just going to write a little note so my mother or your grandma doesn't worry where you disappeared to." He says heading to the kitchen.

"Okay." She glances to the floor as her mind wanders off. '_It's been three days already...I wonder how Stef and Taba are doing..? Are they worried sick about me..?'_

"All right Pan, let's go." Trunks said as he walked back into the room. He stopped for a moment, noticing the distant look upon her face. "Does something have you down?"

Breaking from her thoughts, she shakes her head slightly. "No, I was just thinking."

"I see. Anything in particular?" He asks curiously.

She turns and looks over to him. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking me to the farm first so they don't have to worry anymore."

"I'll be more than happy to. It's only natural for them to worry until they know you're safe."

A smile brightens her face as she bows slightly. "I appreciate it, Trunks."

"Uhh, you don't need to do that Pan." He said waving his hands out in front in protest.

She looks at him confusedly. "I would give you a hug...but due to the reaction you had last time-"

"It wasn't because of the hug that caused it..." He says, glancing out of the corner of his eyes as a faint blush surfaced. "Hugs are fine, so no need for formalities, Pan."

"Oh, I think I get it. Just because I-"

"Oh! You have the location of the farm, right?" He asked, not wanting her to finish that sentence.

"Yeah, I have an old map with it marked."

"Excellent! Go get it then we can go. Make sure you grab your jacket, it's going to be cold out."

"All right!" She said excitedly as she rushes off to get it.

ˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆ

With her arms loosely draped over the shoulders of the warm form beneath her, she stares in awe watching the sky to the east. The sight of witnessing the transition of night to day from high off the ground, makes it that much more dramatic and breathtaking. The tingling feel of the morning air upon her face brought a rosy red tint to her cheeks from exposure.

"Are you doing all right? You've been awfully quiet for the past half hour." Trunks asks, glancing over his shoulder for a second to the relaxed and awed raven-haired girl riding upon his back.

Being pulled from her thoughts, she shifts and tightens her hold around his neck slightly. "I'm doing great. I'm really enjoying the sunrise. It's just amazing."

"I cannot disagree with that."

"I bet sunset is just as great, huh?" She asks, as she places her chin on the top of his shoulder and glances down towards the distant ground.

"You bet." He fiddles with the watch-like device on his wrist for a moment.

"Is that a watch of some sort?" She asks curiously.

"Actually,It's a tracking unit that tells you your location by satellite transmissions. It can also show you how far you are from your destination if you wish."

"That's pretty awesome."

"If you're interested, you can ask my mother to see her lab sometime. I'm sure she would be happy to show you all her gadgets."

"Sounds like fun!"

"Anyway, we're still quite some distance away. Shall I pick up the pace?"

She raises a brow slightly. "You can go faster?!"

He chuckles lightly. "This is nothing. I was only going this fast because you seemed comfortable."

"Oh? Let's go then!" She said tightening her arms around his neck and thighs around his waist.

The feeling of her adjusting against his back, causes a blush to consume his cheeks like wildfire. "Please..try not...to shift...so much...", he requests with a strangled voice before blasting off.

ˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆ

Within the farmhouse, the couple sat quietly at the table as they were finishing their breakfast. They both glance over to the empty chair with a sense of wonder and worry. Ever since they let the girl venture off few days ago, they have not stopped worrying about her for one second.

"Do you think it was really a good idea to let her go out there alone? What if something bad happens?" Tabatha questioned with concern as she gets up and begins clearing the table. "There's a lot of things out there we couldn't prepare her for..."

"I don't know, Darling. We should only hope for the best. If all goes well, she should be getting there any day now." Stef says, as he gets up and prepares to go back outside to work.

"I hope you're right."

"She's a tough girl. She'll get through it."

Suddenly, the dogs began barking right outside of the front door, catching the couple's attention instantly.

"What on earth could get them all riled up so badly?"

Tabatha glances over to her husband for a moment wondering if it's possible. Without saying a word, she quickly makes her way outside, curious to find out.

"Taba, wait." Stef called out, but his wife wasn't going to stop.

Stopping at the edge of the porch, the middle-aged woman couldn't believe her eyes. Before her, was the raven-haired girl with a lavender-haired young man. "St-Stef!"

"I'm coming." He says, walking out the door, only to be stunned momentarily before chuckling. "I'll be damned...That was fast."

"Miss me much?" Pan questions with a huge smile as she approaches them.

"Of course! We've been worried sick." Tabatha moves forward to embrace the girl. "Look at your hair, child. It looks like you were in a tornado."

Pan giggles as she rubs her head sheepishly. "I guess you can say that."

"It's good to see that you're safe, kiddo." The older man places a hand on the girl's shoulder momentarily while glancing at the young man. "I take it that you brought her here?"

"Yes, she wanted to come by to ease any worries you both may have." The lavender-haired man states. "By the way, I'm Trunks Brief. Her father was my best friend."

_Was_. The only word required for Stef to confirm that Gohan was indeed gone. A small frown became apparent on the older male. "How long ago did it happen?"He asked, as he sent a glance to his wife to take the girl inside, only to receive a nod.

"Let's head inside and take care of your hair, Pan." Tabatha said, as she begin to usher the girl to the door.

"What are you talking about?" Pan questions curiously.

"Don't worry about it. How about you tell me about your trip. Tabatha insisted to change the topic for the girl.

"All right!" Pan says excitedly as she goes inside with Tabatha.

Hearing the door close, Trunks speaks up once again. "Roughly seven years ago..."

"That's a shame... Have you told her anything about it yet?" Stef said, leaving the porch and gesturing for the young man to walk with him.

Nodding slightly, Trunks follows beside the older man. "No, it's best to wait until the time is right... When that happens, she'll learn the details..."

"That seems like a wise idea. However, you can enlighten me."

"All right." Trunks said as he begins to tell the story of what happened to Gohan.

Inside, Tabatha listens to everything the young girl was saying about her trip while brushing the tangles out of the raven hair. As she adjusts the long hair in a position for a mid ponytail, she hears something that causes her to jerk just slightly.

"Oww..." Pan yelped out from her hair being tugged a tad too much.

The woman shakes her head slightly to shake off the shock of the fact that Pan had been attacked. "Oh, I'm sorry sweetie. You just scared me..."

"Oh...it was at the moment...But I didn't get hurt."

"That's a relief. Hopefully, that was the only horrible thing to happen." Tabatha hoped, as she entwines a hair tie in Pan's locks.

"That was it."

"Oh, good. You can carry on." She said, beginning to braid the ponytail to prevent tangling.

By the time Pan was done with her story, Tabatha had sat down in the chair to the right. "It sounds like you had quite the little adventure. Getting to see what the world is like, and making some friends along the way; all within a few days."

"Uh-huh! And there's still so much more to see and do."

"Of course there is." Tabatha smiled. "So, that young man who's with you is pretty handsome, don't you think?"

"You mean Trunks?" The girl questioned.

"Of course. Who else would I be referring to?" The older woman laughed.

A light blush surfaced on the girl's cheek. "...I guess."

"You don't have to be so shy when it's just us talking."

"I know...but still..."

"Okay, okay."

"-responsible for the disappearance of those Androids, then..." Stef was saying as he opened the front door, gaining the attention of both females.

"It was me."

"It must have been pretty hard for you."

"You have no idea what I had to go through. However, that's another story."

"Maybe we can hear it another time."

"Sure."

"Well, you two must have had a bit to talk about." Tabatha said as she got up from her seat.

"Loads, Dear."

"I do have a question." Trunks mentioned, getting the couple's attention. "Do you happen to remember what Pan's mother's name was? I know my mother and her grandmother would like to know."

Pan got up and looked to her caregivers curiously. She doesn't even recall a moment if she was told her mother's name.

"Oh, boy... It's been far too long..." Stef said, scratching his head trying to remember. "Tabatha?"

"Poor girl... Let's see. Her first name was Videl..."

"Last name I think was Satin, Sateen, or Satan. It's one of those... She did have black hair and blue eyes if that may help any."

"That should enough information. Thank you."

"Anyway, I don't know if you two had any breakfast yet, but I can fix some if you'd like." Tabatha asked.

Pan shakes her head slightly. "I'm not hungry at all." She said as she glances over to Trunks, noticing he is debating on how to answer.

"I'm fine. I don't want to impose." He said, though his stomach was saying differently.

"Nonsense, I can tell when someone is hungry. Especially after all the years of raising this girl." Tabatha smiled at Pan's sheepish reaction.

"This is one of the few things she doesn't take an form of no for an answer." Stef chuckles, "So if you don't want to impose, then maybe you can work for it. That is if you wouldn't mind giving me a hand with some chores. There are just some things that can be quite bothersome for an old man like me to do."

"Well, if you put it that way, sure thing." Trunks said, as he and Stef headed back outside.

"Well Pan, before you go outside to help, could I get you to do the dishes for me while I get some food going? I didn't exactly get to the dishes before the dogs started going nuts." Tabatha said, heading to the kitchen.

"All right." Pan said sullenly.

ˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆ

Glancing around, the middle-aged man was surprised by seeing how much has been accomplished within roughly two hours, all thanks to them dropping by. For the days that the raven-haired girl was gone, his attempts to pick up the slack only caused the chores to fall further behind. "Thanks for helping this old man out. I appreciate it greatly." He chuckles.

"Not a problem." The young man said.

"Sorry I left you with extra work..."

"It's all right, Kiddo. It will take me a little while to get up to speed. Anyway, there's other things to experience in life than being stuck here forever."

"Now that you mention that, I have something I would like to give to you." Trunks says as he pulls out a case from his pocket, he finds a specific capsule and gives it to Stef. "Here, I'm sure you need this much more than I do."

"Are you sure?" Stef questioned.

"I'm positive."

The couple looks to one another for a moment. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Trunks says, glances to the raven-haired girl as he puts the case back into his pocket. "Think you're ready to go?"

"Yeah." She said, as she hugs the couple responsible for her upbringing.

"Go and enjoy yourself. We'll see you next time."

"I will." She says, watching the lavender-haired demi-saiyan crouch for her to climb onto his back once more.

Bidding the last bit of farewells, the young man takes to the air.

"You know...that does look like fun." Tabatha says to her husband.

"That it does."

ˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆ

With eyes closed, she could feel the change of direction, no longer traveling forward, but descending towards the earth. The scent of wood and pine fills her nose, giving her a clue of their location. Feeling a cool breeze brush across her skin, she hears the rustling of leaves and the melodies of birds in every direction. From below, the faint sound of running water getting louder with each passing moment arouses her curiosity.

"Can I open my eyes yet?" She asks anxiously.

"Not just yet."

"Okay...can you tell me what we are going to do then?"

He chuckles, "Well it's not what _we_ are going to do, it's what _you_ are going to do."

"So what is it?"

"Do you remember what I told you about Ki and how it is possible to sense?" He asks.

"For the most part." She said feeling a mist.

"Well, Ki similar to water, but the difference is determined by the senses used. If you take away your sight, you use your sense of hearing to tell if water is calm or violent, and anywhere in between." He says landing on a boulder in the middle of the brook and kneeling while facing the still pool. "It's safe to get down. Just don't look yet."

"Okay.." She extends one foot below, feeling for a solid object. Tapping on the stone, she loosens her hold around his shoulders as she places both feet on the ground.

"Tell me, what do you hear?" He asks as he helps her move beside him.

"Quick moving water."

"The sound of the water to you is similar to how your uncontrolled ki feels to me consistently. You may not notice it just yet, but it's quite rambunctious." He said with a chuckle.

She could feel her cheeks redden in embarrassment. "Can I open now..?"

"Go for it. What do you see in front of you?"

Looking at the water in front of her, she's surprised to see how still it is, regardless of the sound of rushing water coming from behind her. "It's calm." She said before taking in the scenery.

"Yes it is. If you were to lose your hearing, you would have to rely on sight in order to tell the difference." He said, as he glanced over his shoulder.

"It's beautiful." She says, staring in awe at the cascading waterfall.

"You're at least listening, right?" He questioned with a raised brow.

"Of course I am. You can continue."

"Okay, good. Anyway, the point being I've shown you that ki can be a visible and physical entity." He pauses for a moment, thinking of how to keep it simple. "However, instead of using the basic senses, it requires mental awareness and developed sensitivity in order to feel another's ki. Eventually, it will become second nature to you."

"All right. So I guess that's what I'm going to do?"

"You're going to sit right here and meditate. It's important that you first learn to feel your ki, control it within, and suppress it. You shouldn't have an issue feeling its warmth." He says, jumping to the bank. "While you are meditating, you should be relaxed and your mind should be empty, but fully aware. "

"That sounds boring though..."

He smirks amusingly. "Oh I know it is, but it really does help when it comes to controlling and wielding ki on will."

"All right..." She said sullenly as she sits down.

"Once you can feel, recognize, and control it like second nature, is when it is easiest for you to sense others. I'll shut up now."

"Okay." She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as she begins.

ˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆˇˆ

Well that's it for this chapter. Honestly, I took me quite some time to figure out the direction I wanted this one to go, but was difficult as I was over-thinking a lot. However, thanks to some guidance of my fiancee, I was able to get back on track. The one thing I really wanted this chapter to be focused on was building a foundation for Pan and Trunks' relationship.

Anyway, you all know what to do. Let me know your thoughts. Oh, if you're wondering what capsule was given, just ask and I'll give the answer when I post the next chapter. o.~


End file.
